Compare towns
Veazie vs Mapleton vs Brooks vs Damariscotta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Veazie has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Damariscotta has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Veazie | Mapleton | Brooks | Damariscotta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,847 |
1,884 |
1,208Lowest |
2,192Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±4.6 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
49.3±8.6Highest 10% above ME |
| Damariscotta and Veazie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.8%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Veazie and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,229±$10k 5% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$59,423±$11k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Veazie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $293,100±$35k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$363,500±$42kHighest 23% above ME |
| Damariscotta and Veazie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,095±$79 4% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$1,027±$88 10% below ME |
| Brooks and Veazie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,073Highest 34% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$3,806 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±16.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta and Veazie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Veazie Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Great Salt Bay CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.