Compare towns
Jay vs Sumner 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 highest household income ($70k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Pittsfield has the most kids (22.5% 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 | Sumner | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
845Lowest |
3,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
40±6.5 11% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±5.4Highest 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%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest 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±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$57,381±$12kLowest 23% below ME |
| Jay and Sumner 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$164,100±$17k 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 |
— | $825±$260Highest 28% 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,965Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±21.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Pittsfield 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% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Pittsfield 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 10 | RSU 53/MSAD 53 |
| 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.