Compare towns
Jefferson vs Chesterville vs Whitefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jefferson has the most expensive homes ($312k median).
Chesterville has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Whitefield has the most people working from home (13.5%).
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 | Jefferson | Chesterville | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,647Highest |
1,397Lowest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.1±4.9 15% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 28%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6% ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Jefferson and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,078±$17kHighest 14% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$73,875±$10k about the ME average |
| Jefferson and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
$242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$130Highest about the ME average |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
| Jefferson and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,587Highest 15% below ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.8%±25.1 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Whitefield and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Whitefield and Jefferson 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 | #45 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Jefferson Public Schools | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.