Town guide

Jay, Maine

Jay is a town in Franklin County, Maine, home to about 4,657 people across 48 square miles. Its ZIP code is 04239.

Homes sold for a median of $126 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population4,65796 per sq mi
Median home value$168,600Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$126Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking8%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Jay

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Jay. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Jay’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Jay

Distances

Nearest major airportPortland International Jetport (PWM)60 miles away
Closer regional airportAugusta State Airport (AUG)24 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Boston, MA156 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+New York, NY327 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Jay; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Jay

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Jay had 4,620 residents in the 2020 census, down 7% since 2000.

It’s the 75th largest of 519 towns in Maine by population.

Franklin County grew from 18,444 residents in 1900 to 29,456 in 2020.

Jay population by census2000: 4,985, 2010: 4,851, 2020: 4,6204,98520004,85120104,6202020

Franklin County, 1900–2020

Franklin County population, 1900 to 20201900: 18,444, 1910: 19,119, 1920: 19,825, 1930: 19,941, 1940: 19,896, 1950: 20,682, 1960: 20,069, 1970: 22,444, 1980: 27,098, 1990: 29,008, 2000: 29,467, 2010: 30,768, 2020: 29,45618K’00’1020K’20’3020K’40’5020K’60’7027K’80’9029K’00’1029K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 6°F. About 47.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 91 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near JayJan: high 28°F, low 6°F, 3.4 in; Feb: high 31°F, low 6°F, 3.1 in; Mar: high 39°F, low 17°F, 3.7 in; Apr: high 53°F, low 30°F, 4.1 in; May: high 66°F, low 41°F, 3.4 in; Jun: high 74°F, low 50°F, 4.5 in; Jul: high 80°F, low 57°F, 3.9 in; Aug: high 79°F, low 54°F, 3.8 in; Sep: high 71°F, low 45°F, 3.5 in; Oct: high 58°F, low 35°F, 5.2 in; Nov: high 45°F, low 24°F, 4.3 in; Dec: high 34°F, low 15°F, 4.4 in28°6°Jan3.431°6°Feb3.139°17°Mar3.753°30°Apr4.166°41°May3.474°50°Jun4.580°57°Jul3.979°54°Aug3.871°45°Sep3.558°35°Oct5.245°24°Nov4.334°15°Dec4.4Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Livermore Falls 1 E, ME weather station (4 miles away).

Jobs in Franklin County

8,625 jobs at 878 businesses in Franklin County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Franklin CountyRetail trade: 1,867 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,741 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 1,684 jobs; Manufacturing: 785 jobs; Construction: 538 jobs; Arts, entertainment and recreation: 313 jobs; Finance and insurance: 278 jobs; Other services: 250 jobsRetail trade 22% Hotels and restaurants 20% Health care and social assistance 20% Manufacturing 9% Construction 6% Arts, entertainment and recreation 4% Finance and insurance 3% Other services 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

7 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Jay.

Nearest hospitals

  • Mainehealth Franklin HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Farmington8.0 miles
  • Rumford HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Rumford17.3 miles
  • Maine General Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Augusta25.6 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors1
Mental health providers1
Physical and occupational therapists3
Chiropractors2
Pharmacies3

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Jay

Parks (8 nearby)

  • Jay Recreation Area · 138 acres1.8 mi
  • French Falls Recreation Area · 29 acres1.5 mi
  • Livermore Falls Recreation Park · 21 acres3.3 mi
  • Stone Street Ballfield · 7 acres0.9 mi
  • Dow Field · 4 acres2.7 mi
  • Pine Island Park1.1 mi

Grocery stores (2 nearby)

  • Hannaford0.8 mi
  • Food City2.8 mi

Pharmacies (1 nearby)

  • Rite Aid2.9 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Treat Memorial Library3.0 mi

Museums

  • The Washburn-Norlands Living History Center7.5 mi
  • Red Schoolhouse8.4 mi

Counts are within about 4.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Jay

Public schools here are run by Rsu 73. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Spruce Mountain Elementary SchoolJay3–5306Public1.4 mi
Spruce Mountain Middle SchoolJay6–8303Public1.6 mi
Spruce Mountain High SchoolJay9–12425Public1.6 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Towns near Jay

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.