Compare towns
Limestone vs Mapleton vs Caribou 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Caribou has the oldest population (median age 51.3).
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 | Mapleton | Caribou | Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
1,884 |
7,382Highest |
2,020 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.7% ME: +2.6% |
-7.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME |
40.8±9.6Lowest 9% below ME |
| Caribou and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.8Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Caribou 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8% ME: 36.2% |
16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,709±$9k 28% below ME |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$134,100±$31k 55% below ME |
$141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233 34% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$757±$143Highest 34% below ME |
$692±$276 39% below ME |
| Caribou 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,680 45% below ME |
$1,885Highest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.3%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Machias and Caribou 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1960 17 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
16 min 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.5%±3.8 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 | — | — | #59 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 39 | Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town | Caribou High School | Machias Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 14.2Highest |
10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.