Compare towns
Jay vs Pittston vs Prospect
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).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Pittston | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
3,093 |
923Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
45.2±7.5Highest about the ME average |
| Prospect and Pittston 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% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect 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% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Prospect 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% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston 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±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
| Pittston and Prospect 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 |
$238,700±$66kHighest 20% below ME |
$196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
| Pittston and Prospect 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 |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
| Prospect and Pittston 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 |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
$1,979 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Prospect 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% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Prospect 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 | #123 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — |
| 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.