Compare towns
Jay vs Thomaston vs Cushing
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).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Thomaston | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
2,769 |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
| Thomaston and Cushing 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% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest 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%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Cushing 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
| Cushing 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 |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$3,944 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 133 in ME | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 13 | 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 Our Story | 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.