Compare towns
Jay vs Phillips vs Chesterville
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 highest household income ($70k).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Chesterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.8%).
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 | Phillips | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,094Lowest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Phillips 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% |
20.7% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Phillips 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
| Jay and Chesterville 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
| Chesterville and Phillips 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 |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips 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% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Chesterville 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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.