Compare towns
Machias vs Mapleton vs Union 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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Union | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,020 |
1,884 |
2,663Highest |
1,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.8±9.6Lowest 9% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
| Limestone and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Limestone and Union 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$49,938±$8k 33% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $692±$276 39% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$754±$233 34% below ME |
| Union and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,885 38% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Machias Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | Machias Memorial High School | None in town | None in town | 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 | 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.