Compare towns
Limestone vs Thorndike 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).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Machias has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.2%).
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 | Thorndike | Machias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
1,403Lowest |
2,020Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-13% ME: +2.6% |
-7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
40.8±9.6 9% below ME |
| Limestone and Machias 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike 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% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.2%±4.7 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% |
25.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$205,600±$88kHighest 31% below ME |
$141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
| Thorndike 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 |
$836±$317Highest 27% below ME |
$692±$276Lowest 39% below ME |
| Thorndike 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 |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,885 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5 ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Machias and Thorndike 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
16 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±9.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike 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 03/MSAD 03 | Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Mt View High School | Machias Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
11.7Highest |
10.4 |
| 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.