Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Mapleton vs Jay vs Burnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Burnham has the most people working from home (17%).
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 | Pittsfield | Mapleton | Jay | Burnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,084 |
1,884 |
4,657Highest |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35.6±6.8Lowest 21% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
48.4±3.2Highest 8% above ME |
| Burnham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
22.2%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Burnham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
20.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittsfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,458±$11k 18% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$59,261±$18kLowest 21% below ME |
| Mapleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $162,100±$13kLowest 45% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$178,100±$43k 40% below ME |
| Mapleton and Burnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $909±$270 20% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$759±$141 33% below ME |
$1,308±$386Highest 15% above ME |
| Burnham and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,916 37% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,897 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.2%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
60.9%±49Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Burnham and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
87.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 28 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Burnham and Pittsfield 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 | #125 of 133 in ME | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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 | 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.