Compare towns
Bristol vs Damariscotta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
Damariscotta has the most kids (19.4% 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 | Bristol | Damariscotta |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,917Highest |
2,192Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
49.3±8.6Lowest 10% above ME |
| Bristol and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Damariscotta and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
$363,500±$42kLowest 23% above ME |
| Bristol and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106Highest 8% below ME |
$1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME |
| Bristol and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #16 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | Great Salt Bay CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.