Compare towns
Jay vs Smithfield vs Pittston
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).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Smithfield | Pittston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
856Lowest |
3,093 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Jay and Pittston 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest 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 |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
| Smithfield and Pittston 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 |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$238,700±$66k 20% below ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$1,080±$593 5% below ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Smithfield 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| 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.