Compare towns
Jay vs Mapleton vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Jay | Mapleton | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
| Mapleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141 33% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
| Strong and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Jay and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.