Compare towns
Knox vs Mapleton vs Jay vs Thorndike
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Knox | Mapleton | Jay | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,884 |
4,657Highest |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Mapleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jay and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Mapleton and Thorndike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$205,600±$88kHighest 31% below ME |
| Thorndike and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thorndike and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Knox 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 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 73 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.