Compare towns
Palermo vs Jefferson vs China
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
Jefferson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
China has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Palermo | Jefferson | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,473Lowest |
2,647 |
4,526Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±6.1Highest 3% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
40.9±5.9 9% below ME |
| Palermo and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±2 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jefferson and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
$85,078±$17kLowest 14% above ME |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $259,700±$54k 12% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$240,000±$37kLowest 19% below ME |
| Jefferson and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
$1,120±$130Lowest about the ME average |
— |
| Palermo and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,587Highest 15% below ME |
$2,535 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1 ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minLowest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and China 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 | #27 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | Jefferson Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None 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.