Compare towns
Jay vs Mapleton vs Warren vs Vassalboro
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 most affordable homes ($169k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Warren has the most people working from home (11.6%).
Vassalboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Warren | Vassalboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657 |
1,884Lowest |
4,932Highest |
4,592 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
44.5±3.6Highest about the ME average |
| Vassalboro and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Vassalboro and Mapleton 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Vassalboro 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% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
$72,300±$7k 3% below ME |
| Mapleton and Warren 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
$244,300±$22kHighest 18% below ME |
| Vassalboro and Warren 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 |
$1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
$1,006±$188 12% below ME |
| Warren and Vassalboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
$2,117 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
54.8%±25.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Vassalboro and Warren 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% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.2%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Warren 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 | — | #120 of 133 in ME | #107 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Vassalboro Public Schools |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | 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 | 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.