Compare towns
Fort Fairfield vs Limestone vs Mapleton vs Waldoboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fort Fairfield has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waldoboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Fort Fairfield | Limestone | Mapleton | Waldoboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,309 |
1,579Lowest |
1,884 |
5,253Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5% ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.7±6.6 11% above ME |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
50.1±4.6Highest 12% above ME |
| Waldoboro and Fort Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Fort Fairfield and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,852±$16k 5% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$69,107±$8k 8% below ME |
| Mapleton and Fort Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,000±$27k 46% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$274,900±$39kHighest 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $945±$738Highest 17% below ME |
$754±$233 34% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
| Fort Fairfield and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,838 39% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$2,861Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.6%±77.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Fort Fairfield and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 30% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min 3% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Mapleton 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 | #72 of 133 in ME | — | — | #55 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 86/MSAD 20 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Fort Fairfield Middle/High School | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town | Medomak Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
8.6Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.