What stands out worked out from the figures below

Millinocket has the most people working from home (6.6%).

East Machias has the most expensive homes ($211k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Millinocket	East Machias
People
Population	4,115Highest	1,223Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-3.1%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME	42.8±2.9Lowest 4% below ME
Kids under 18	16.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	East Machias and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4%	19.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	33.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Millinocket and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME	$57,589±$10kHighest 23% below ME
	East Machias and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME	$210,800±$23kHighest 29% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME	$907±$566Highest 20% below ME
	East Machias and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,580Lowest 48% below ME	$1,836Highest 40% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	East Machias and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.1%Highest ME: 10.7%	15.9%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	83.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the ME average	18 minLowest 28% below ME
Work from home	6.6%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%	4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Millinocket and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#98 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Millinocket Public Schools	East Machias Public Schools
High school in town	Stearns Jr-Sr High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.