Compare towns
Lee vs Jay vs Garland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
Jay has the highest household income ($70k).
Garland has the most expensive homes ($205k median).
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 | Lee | Jay | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 925 |
4,657Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
53.5±4.3Highest 19% above ME |
| Garland and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Lee and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$70,238±$19kHighest 6% below ME |
$51,094±$12k 32% below ME |
| Jay and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$205,400±$38kHighest 31% below ME |
| Garland and Lee 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 |
$794±$248Highest 30% below ME |
| Garland and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,547 49% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Garland 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 30/MSAD 30 | RSU 73 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.