Compare towns
Vinalhaven vs Eliot vs Boothbay Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vinalhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Boothbay Harbor has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Vinalhaven | Eliot | Boothbay Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,216Lowest |
7,146Highest |
2,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
-6.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
63.8±4.7 42% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Boothbay Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Eliot and Boothbay Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
47%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Boothbay Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
42.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay Harbor and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,963±$11k about the ME average |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$62,800±$13kLowest 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$400,600±$49kLowest 35% above ME |
| Eliot and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,058±$123 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,598 19% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$2,808Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±41.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
79.3%±17.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Boothbay Harbor and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
75.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
23 minHighest 9% below ME |
14 minLowest 42% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Vinalhaven 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Boothbay-Boothbay Hbr CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Boothbay Region High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.