Compare towns
Prospect vs Jay vs Stetson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Prospect has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Stetson has the most people working from home (11%).
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 | Prospect | Jay | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 923Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.2±7.5Highest about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
42.2±5.1 6% below ME |
| Prospect and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Prospect and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$17kHighest 9% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$76,023±$28k about the ME average |
| Prospect and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,500±$19k 34% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$205,700±$34kHighest 31% below ME |
| Stetson and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$61Highest about the ME average |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$800±$377 30% below ME |
| Prospect and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,979 35% below ME |
$2,245Highest 26% below ME |
$1,962Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 34% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Stetson and Prospect 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 73 | — |
| High school 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.