Compare towns

Limestone vs Upton 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 kids (20.7% under 18).
Upton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
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.

MeasureLimestoneUptonMachias
People
Population
1,579
91Lowest
2,020Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-34.1%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
—
-7.2%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.3±4.9
about the ME average
70.4±0.4Highest
57% above ME
40.8±9.6Lowest
9% below ME
Kids under 18
20.7%±4.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
0%±34.2Lowest
ME: 18.1%
15.9%±4.8
ME: 18.1%
Limestone and Machias 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%
80.2%±49.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
20.2%±4.7Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20.3%Highest
ME: 36.2%
14.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
16%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
9.5%±4.7
ME: 5.8%
1.1%±12.5Lowest
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±$8kHighest
33% below ME
—
$34,375±$16kLowest
54% below ME
Limestone and Machias 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
—
$141,300±$17kHighest
52% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$754±$233Highest
34% below ME
—
$692±$276Lowest
39% 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
$1,332
56% below ME
$731Lowest
76% below ME
$1,885Highest
38% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
32%±12.4
ME: 48.4%
0%±100Lowest
ME: 48.4%
58.9%±22.3Highest
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%
0%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
25.6%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
61.2%
ME: 74.3%
95.7%Highest
ME: 74.3%
49.7%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1959Lowest
18 yrs older than ME
1979Highest
2 yrs newer than ME
1971
6 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
24% below ME
24 minHighest
about the ME average
16 minLowest
33% below ME
Work from home
14.5%±5.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
13%±12
ME: 15.9%
12.7%±9.3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Limestone and Upton 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
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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.