Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Wayne 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).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Blue Hill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Wayne | Blue Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,192 |
1,101Lowest |
2,813Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.6 10% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
48.6±8.2Lowest 8% above ME |
| Wayne and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Blue Hill 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% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Blue Hill 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above 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 |
$983±$554Lowest 14% 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,907Lowest 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.2%±22.9 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 6% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Blue Hill 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 38 | 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.