Compare towns
Jay vs Peru vs Pittsfield
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).
Peru has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.4%).
Pittsfield 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 | Peru | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,501Lowest |
3,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
48±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
40±6.5 11% below ME |
| Peru and Pittsfield 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% |
20.8%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield and Peru 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% |
21.7%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Peru 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% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittsfield 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±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$66,827±$19k 11% below ME |
$57,381±$12kLowest 23% below ME |
| Jay and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27kHighest 43% below ME |
$141,300±$38kLowest 52% below ME |
$164,100±$17k 45% below ME |
| Jay and Pittsfield 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 |
$723±$16Lowest 37% below ME |
$825±$260Highest 28% below ME |
| Pittsfield 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 |
$1,799Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,965 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
21.7%±37.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±21.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittsfield and Jay 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% |
9.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.2%±4 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Pittsfield and Peru 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 | — | #125 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 56 | RSU 53/MSAD 53 |
| 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.