Compare towns
Jay vs Prospect 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).
Prospect has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).
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 | Prospect | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
923Lowest |
3,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
45.2±7.5Highest about the ME average |
40±6.5 11% below ME |
| Prospect 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% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Pittsfield 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% |
19.8%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±3.6Lowest 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% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest 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±$19k 6% below ME |
$81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$57,381±$12kLowest 23% below ME |
| Prospect 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±$27k 43% below ME |
$196,500±$19kHighest 34% below ME |
$164,100±$17kLowest 45% below ME |
| Prospect and Jay 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 |
$1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
$825±$260 28% below ME |
| Prospect and Pittsfield 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 |
$1,979 35% below ME |
$1,965Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±21.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittsfield 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Pittsfield and Prospect 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 53/MSAD 53 |
| 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.