Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Mapleton vs Rangeley vs Newcastle
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 renters (30.4% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Rangeley has the oldest population (median age 64.3).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Rangeley | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,100 |
1,884Highest |
792 |
664Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.1±8.2 34% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
64.3±3.2Highest 44% above ME |
54.8±3.6 22% above ME |
| Rangeley and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
3.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
10.4%±5.4 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+ | 35.9%±7.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
49.1%±10.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±14.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Rangeley 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
40.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2.8 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 |
$58,243±$23kLowest 22% below ME |
$80,833±$49k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Newcastle 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 |
$424,700±$47kHighest 43% above ME |
$420,500±$47k 42% above ME |
| Rangeley and Newcastle 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$671±$119 41% below ME |
$1,219±$448Highest 7% above ME |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,813 26% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,482 18% below ME |
$5,278Highest 74% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±27.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.6%±31.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.2%±48.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Rangeley 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% ME: 10.7% |
1.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 min 37% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
41 minHighest 65% above ME |
12 minLowest 52% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.5%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.