Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Mapleton vs Blue Hill
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% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Blue Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,192 |
1,884Lowest |
2,813Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.6±8.2 8% above 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 | 19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7Lowest 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+ | 31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.6%±10.2 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+ | 41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest 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 | $59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,377±$17k 8% 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 | $363,500±$42k 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above 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 | $1,027±$88 10% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,038±$638Highest 9% 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 | $3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,907 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.2%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest 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 | 11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 6% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest 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 | Great Salt Bay CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Blue Hill Public Schools |
| 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.