Compare towns
Jay vs Oakland vs Smithfield
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).
Oakland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Oakland | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657 |
6,309Highest |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Jay 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% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland 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±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland 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 |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
| Smithfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$939±$74 18% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
| Smithfield and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,439 20% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Messalonskee High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
14.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.