Compare towns
Warren vs Jay vs Poland vs Cushing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warren has the most renters (18.7% rent).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
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 | Warren | Jay | Poland | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,932 |
4,657 |
5,954Highest |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
| Cushing and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Cushing and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
23.8% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,616±$21k about the ME average |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Poland and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$456 about the ME average |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Cushing 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 | #120 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #81 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 73 | RSU 16 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.