Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Boothbay Harbor vs Rangeley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Damariscotta has the most kids (16.4% under 18).
Boothbay Harbor has the most people working from home (17.1%).
Rangeley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Damariscotta | Boothbay Harbor | Rangeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,100 |
2,096Highest |
792Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-6.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.1±8.2Lowest 34% above ME |
63.8±4.7 42% above ME |
64.3±3.2Highest 44% above ME |
| Rangeley and Boothbay Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
3.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Boothbay Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.9%±7.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
47%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
49.1%±10.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rangeley and Boothbay Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.4% ME: 36.2% |
33.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay Harbor and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,647±$19kHighest 9% below ME |
$62,800±$13k 16% below ME |
$58,243±$23kLowest 22% below ME |
| Damariscotta and Boothbay Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $419,100±$69k 41% above ME |
$400,600±$49kLowest 35% above ME |
$424,700±$47kHighest 43% above ME |
| Rangeley and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $930±$68 18% below ME |
$1,058±$123Highest 7% below ME |
$671±$119Lowest 41% below ME |
| Boothbay Harbor and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,813Highest 26% above ME |
$2,808 8% below ME |
$2,482Lowest 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±27.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
79.3%±17.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.6%±31.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Boothbay Harbor and Rangeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7% ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
1.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 17 yrs older than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 min 37% below ME |
14 minLowest 42% below ME |
41 minHighest 65% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Boothbay Harbor and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Boothbay-Boothbay Hbr CSD | — |
| High school in town | — | Boothbay Region High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.4 |
— |
| 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.