Compare towns
Whitefield vs Standish vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitefield has the oldest population (median age 51.9).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Whitefield | Standish | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,157Lowest |
10,662Highest |
2,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.2Highest 16% above ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% ME: 36.2% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$85,078±$17k 14% 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 | $242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$311,600±$35k 5% above ME |
| Standish and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$1,120±$130Highest about the ME average |
| Jefferson and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,366Lowest 22% below ME |
$3,005Highest about the ME average |
$2,587 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Standish and Whitefield 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 12 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Jefferson Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.