Compare towns
Rockland vs Eliot vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Thomaston has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
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 | Rockland | Eliot | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,035 |
7,146Highest |
2,769Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±6Lowest 10% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rockland and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,533±$6k 24% below ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,092±$105Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,262±$343 11% above ME |
| Eliot and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,059Lowest 34% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$4,487 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thomaston and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1951 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 50% below ME |
23 minHighest 9% below ME |
14 min 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Eliot 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Oceanside High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.