Compare towns
Limestone vs Mars Hill vs Sumner
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).
Mars Hill has the highest household income ($65k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Mars Hill | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579Highest |
1,398 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest 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%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Mars Hill 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% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Sumner 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 |
$163,600±$23kHighest 45% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233Highest 34% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
— |
| Limestone and Mars Hill 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 |
$1,843 39% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Limestone 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 | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Highest |
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.