Compare towns
Limestone vs Bangor vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Limestone has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Bangor has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.9%).
Mars Hill has the most homeowners (70.6%).
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 | Limestone | Bangor | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
31,938Highest |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
43.4±3 3% below ME |
| Limestone and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$219,600±$10kHighest 26% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233 34% below ME |
$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,076Highest about the ME average |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 16.4% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1967Highest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
21 minHighest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Bangor 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Bangor High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
13.3Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| 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.