Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Mapleton vs Chebeague Island
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 shortest commute (15 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Chebeague Island has the most people working from home (35.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Chebeague Island |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,100 |
1,884Highest |
555Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 60.1±8.2 34% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
60.4±13.8Highest 35% above ME |
| Chebeague Island and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Chebeague Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.9%±7.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.3%±13.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chebeague Island and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
57.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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±$19k 9% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$67,639±$12kLowest 9% below ME |
| Mapleton and Damariscotta 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$651,400±$92kHighest 120% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $930±$68 18% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,063±$878Highest 81% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,813 26% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$6,406Highest 111% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±27.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
93.8%±11.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Chebeague Island and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 17 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 37% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±8.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
35.5%±22.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Chebeague Island and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Chebeague Island Public Schools |
| High school 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.