The Town FilesJay, Maine
Town in Franklin County · population 4,620 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $168,600
- Household income
- $70,238
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 91 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 39.5
Jay is a town of 4,620 people in Franklin County, Maine. The median home is worth $168,600, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Maine towns, quieter than 81% of Maine towns.
How Jay ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Jay is worth $168,600, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $70,238, which is more affordable than 87% of Maine towns. Median rent is $759 a month. 82.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jay | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $168,600 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $759 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $70,238 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.7% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Jay
| People | Jay | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 90.0% |
Weather in Jay
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 6.1°F. About 47.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 91.2 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 31, 1971 about 2.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 31, 1971.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 11, 1980.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| September 5, 2023 | Flood | DR-4736: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 10,518 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,419 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Jay itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Jay
3 public schools with 1,059 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spruce Mountain High School | 9-12 | 427 | 12.6 |
| Spruce Mountain Middle School | 6-8 | 335 | 12.0 |
| Spruce Mountain Elementary School | 3-5 | 297 | 10.2 |
Towns near Jay
- Livermore Falls, ME5.9 mi · 3,060 people · home $147,500
- Wilton, ME8.0 mi · 3,835 people · home $202,000
- Farmington, ME10.9 mi · 4,168 people · home $169,900
- Farmington, ME11.5 mi · 7,592 people · home $166,600
- Mexico, ME14.6 mi · 2,756 people · home $110,800
- Readfield, ME15.4 mi · 2,597 people · home $326,400
- Turner, ME17.4 mi · 5,817 people · home $284,900
- Rumford, ME17.7 mi · 4,298 people · home $123,200
Jay questions
Is Jay, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jay scores better for retirees than 10% of Maine towns and quieter than 81%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Jay?
The median owner-occupied home in Jay is valued at $168,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,238, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $759 a month.
What is the weather like in Jay?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 6.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.2 inches of precipitation a year and 91.2 inches of snow.
Does Jay get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 31, 1971. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)