Compare towns
Pittston vs Hope vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittston has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
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 | Pittston | Hope | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,093Highest |
1,748Lowest |
2,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±5.9 8% below ME |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
| Hope and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±7.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,614±$18k 16% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$85,078±$17kLowest 14% above ME |
| Hope and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,700±$66kLowest 20% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$311,600±$35k 5% above ME |
| Hope and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,080±$593Lowest 5% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Hope and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$2,587 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Jefferson 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 | #123 of 133 in ME | — | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Hope Public Schools | Jefferson Public Schools |
| 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.