Compare towns
Machias vs Chapman vs Limestone
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Machias has the most renters (50.3% rent).
Chapman has the highest household income ($93k).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
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 | Machias | Chapman | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,020Highest |
388Lowest |
1,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.8±9.6Lowest 9% below ME |
45.7±11.4Highest about the ME average |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
| Chapman and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7 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 | $34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$49,938±$8k 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
$185,700±$22kHighest 37% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $692±$276Lowest 39% below ME |
— | $754±$233Highest 34% 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 | $1,885Highest 38% below ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 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 | 25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest 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 | Machias Public Schools | — | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | Machias Memorial High School | — | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
| 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.