Compare towns
Limestone vs Jackson vs Fort Fairfield
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).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Fort Fairfield has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Jackson | Fort Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
567Lowest |
3,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
49.7±6.6Highest 11% above ME |
| Fort Fairfield and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.5%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone and Jackson 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% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Fort Fairfield 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% |
41.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$75,167±$19kHighest about the ME average |
$70,852±$16k 5% below ME |
| Jackson and Fort Fairfield 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 |
$231,500±$16kHighest 22% below ME |
$161,000±$27k 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233 34% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$945±$738Highest 17% 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 | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,651Highest 13% below ME |
$1,838 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.6%±77.5Highest 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 | 16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson and Limestone 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 |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | — | RSU 86/MSAD 20 |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | — | Fort Fairfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.2Highest |
| 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.