Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Smithfield vs Jay
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 (22.5% under 18).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.8%).
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 | Smithfield | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,930 |
856Lowest |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±6.5 11% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittsfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,381±$12kLowest 23% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
| Smithfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,100±$17kLowest 45% below ME |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $825±$260 28% below ME |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
| Smithfield and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,965Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.5%±21.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittsfield and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 53/MSAD 53 | — | 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.