Compare towns
Presque Isle vs Houlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Presque Isle has the most people working from home (6.7%).
Houlton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.1%).
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 | Presque Isle | Houlton |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,736Highest |
6,056Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±3.5Lowest about the ME average |
45.4±2.8Highest about the ME average |
| Houlton and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Houlton and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Presque Isle and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $55,768±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
$61,058±$14kHighest 18% below ME |
| Houlton and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $147,200±$11kHighest 50% below ME |
$137,000±$31kLowest 54% below ME |
| Presque Isle and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $904±$54Highest 21% below ME |
$785±$66Lowest 31% below ME |
| Presque Isle and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,401Highest 21% below ME |
$1,707Lowest 44% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.3%±9.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.7%±12.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Houlton and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
63.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 6 yrs older than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minHighest 41% below ME |
10 minLowest 58% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±3.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Presque Isle and Houlton 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 | #62 of 133 in ME | #50 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 29/MSAD 29 · Houlton-Region 2 |
| High school in town | Presque Isle High School | Houlton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.7Lowest |
16.8Highest |
| 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.