Compare towns
Limestone vs Starks 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).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
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 | Starks | Machias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
556Lowest |
2,020Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
40.8±9.6Lowest 9% below ME |
| Starks 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% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone and Starks 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% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
20.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Limestone and Starks 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% |
21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest 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 |
$63,500±$8kHighest 15% below ME |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
| Starks and Limestone 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 |
$148,500±$27kHighest 50% below ME |
$141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
| Starks and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233 34% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$692±$276Lowest 39% below ME |
| Starks 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 |
$1,348 56% below ME |
$1,885Highest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Machias and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
16 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | |||
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | — | Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | — | Machias Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.4Highest |
| 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.