Compare towns
Blue Hill vs Damariscotta vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
Damariscotta has the most renters (30% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Blue Hill | Damariscotta | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,813Highest |
2,192 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Damariscotta and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.6%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Damariscotta and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.2% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
$363,500±$42k 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Blue Hill and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$638Highest 9% below ME |
$1,027±$88 10% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Blue Hill and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,907 4% below ME |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% ME: 74.3% |
70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill and Damariscotta 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 | #29 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Blue Hill Public Schools | Great Salt Bay CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.