Compare towns
Jefferson vs Turner 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 kids (28% under 18).
Turner 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 | Turner | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,647 |
5,891Highest |
2,157Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
47.6±4.3 6% above ME |
51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME |
| Whitefield and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Whitefield and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6% ME: 36.2% |
16.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Turner and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
$100,036±$28kHighest 34% above ME |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Turner and Jefferson 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 |
$284,900±$50k 4% below ME |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
| Jefferson and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$130Highest about the ME average |
$584±$490Lowest 49% below ME |
$895±$126 21% below ME |
| Jefferson and Whitefield 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 |
$2,294Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.9%±64.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Turner and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% ME: 10.7% |
3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs 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%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Whitefield and Turner 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 | #33 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Jefferson Public Schools | RSU 52/MSAD 52 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Leavitt Area High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.