Compare towns
Jay vs Unity vs Chesterville
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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
1,858 |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Highest 12% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
| Jay and Chesterville 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Chesterville 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% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Jay and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$214,000±$40kHighest 28% below ME |
| Chesterville and Unity 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 |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Chesterville 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | — |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.