Compare towns
Jay vs Waldo
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).
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Waldo |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,657Highest |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Highest 12% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Jay and Waldo 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% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Waldo 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 |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
| Waldo 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 |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 13% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 73 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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 |
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.