Compare towns
Standish vs Jefferson vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most people working from home (13.6%).
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Standish | Jefferson | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
2,647 |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Jefferson and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME |
| Standish and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$311,600±$35k 5% above ME |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% below ME |
| Standish and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 about the ME average |
$2,587Lowest 15% below ME |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 20% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #45 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Jefferson Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.