Compare towns
Jay vs Parsonsfield
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).
Parsonsfield has the most expensive homes ($272k median).
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 | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,715Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
44.3±5.9Highest about the ME average |
| Parsonsfield and Jay 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% |
25%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Parsonsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Parsonsfield 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 |
$72,045±$18kHighest 4% below ME |
| Parsonsfield 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 |
$272,100±$21kHighest 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,185±$312Highest 4% above ME |
| Parsonsfield and Jay 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 |
$2,350Highest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.2%±35Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Parsonsfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
48 minHighest 97% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Parsonsfield and Jay 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 | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.