Compare towns
Wayne vs Jay vs Leeds
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Leeds has the most kids (30.6% 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 | Wayne | Jay | Leeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
4,657Highest |
2,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
38.2±8.3Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
30.6%±9.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Leeds and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
14.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
23%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.4%±3.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Leeds and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$85,208±$14k 14% above ME |
| Wayne and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$257,800±$27k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$940±$461 17% below ME |
| Wayne and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,565 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.1%±11.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Jay and Leeds are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
19.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 24% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 73 | RSU 52/MSAD 52 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| 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.