Compare towns
Limestone vs Machias vs Mapleton
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).
Machias has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Machias | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
2,020Highest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
40.8±9.6Lowest 9% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Limestone and Mapleton 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% |
15.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest 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+ | 21.7%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Limestone and Machias 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% |
16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest 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 |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233Highest 34% below ME |
$692±$276 39% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Limestone and Machias 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 |
$1,885Highest 38% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Machias and Limestone 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% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
16 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | Machias Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Machias Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.4Highest |
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| 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.