Compare towns
Limestone vs Gray 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 affordable homes ($98k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
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 | Gray | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
8,429Highest |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
| Limestone and Gray 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% |
19%±4Lowest 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Gray 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233 34% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
12.5Highest |
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.