Compare towns
Jay vs Perham vs Warren
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 youngest population (median age 39.5).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Warren has the most people working from home (11.6%).
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 | Perham | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657 |
326Lowest |
4,932Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
| Perham 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% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Perham 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% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Perham 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren 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 |
$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
$74,616±$21kHighest about the ME average |
| Warren 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±$27k 43% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$232,700±$32kHighest 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
— | $1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
| Warren and Jay 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 |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Warren and Perham 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% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Warren and Perham 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 |
| School district | RSU 73 | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — | 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.