Compare towns
Jay vs Pittston vs Thomaston
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 most affordable homes ($169k median).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Thomaston has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
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 | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
3,093 |
2,769Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest 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±$19k 6% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Pittston 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±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
| Thomaston and Pittston 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 |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
| Thomaston and Pittston 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 |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Pittston 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Jay and Thomaston 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 | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 13 |
| 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.