Compare towns
Limestone vs Brewer vs Machias
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 affordable homes ($98k median).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Machias has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Brewer | Machias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
9,652Highest |
2,020 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
40.8±9.6 9% below ME |
| Limestone and Machias 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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer 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% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Machias 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±$8k 33% below ME |
$66,613±$9kHighest 11% below ME |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
| Brewer and Limestone 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 |
$245,300±$21kHighest 17% below ME |
$141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233 34% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$692±$276Lowest 39% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$1,885 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Machias and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1971Highest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 24% below ME |
17 min 31% below ME |
16 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Machias 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Brewer High School | Machias Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
14.0Highest |
10.4 |
| 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.