Compare towns
Jay 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.8%).
Pittsfield has the most people working from home (13.7%).
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 | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
3,084Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Highest 12% below ME |
35.6±6.8Lowest 21% below ME |
| Jay 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% |
26.7%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield 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% |
16.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Pittsfield 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% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.4%±2.3Highest 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 |
$61,458±$11kLowest 18% below ME |
| Jay and Pittsfield 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 |
$162,100±$13kLowest 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±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$909±$270Highest 20% 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 |
$1,916Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.2%±22.9Highest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1949Lowest 28 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 minHighest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Pittsfield 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 | #125 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.