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MEMaine rankings

Towns that borrow the most from their library in Maine

Ranked by books, movies, e-books and other items the town’s public library lent in a year, per resident. 98 towns with 2,500+ residents.

IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024

Buxton
Maine · Most library borrowing

Where Buxton lands: #97 of 98

0.2 per resident books, movies & e-books borrowed a year · Visit Buxton →

Camden 1 Camden Knox County 20.5 per resident Camden Public Library Belfast 2 Belfast 14.0 per resident Belfast Free Library Paris 3 Paris Oxford County 12.0 per resident Paris Public Library
#TownLoans per residentLibraryLoans a year
1 Camden CamdenKnox County · 5,242 people 20.5 per resident Camden Public Library 107,345
2 Belfast Belfast6,986 people 14.0 per resident Belfast Free Library 99,297
3 Paris ParisOxford County · 5,317 people 12.0 per resident Paris Public Library 64,148
4 Freeport FreeportCumberland County · 8,802 people 11.9 per resident Freeport Community Library 104,415
5 Cape Elizabeth Cape ElizabethCumberland County · 9,606 people 11.7 per resident Thomas Memorial Library 112,548
6 Brunswick BrunswickCumberland County · 22,336 people 11.3 per resident Curtis Memorial Library 310,571
7 Rockport RockportKnox County · 3,675 people 10.8 per resident Rockport Public Library 39,617
8 Yarmouth YarmouthCumberland County · 9,053 people 9.9 per resident Merrill Memorial Library 89,253
9 Falmouth FalmouthCumberland County · 12,755 people 9.8 per resident Falmouth Memorial Library 126,148
10 Rockland Rockland7,035 people 9.8 per resident Rockland Public Library 69,186
11 Topsham TopshamSagadahoc County · 9,706 people 9.7 per resident Topsham Public Library 94,417
12 Bar Harbor Bar HarborHancock County · 5,244 people 8.7 per resident Jesup Memorial Library 45,650
13 Map of Searsport SearsportWaldo County · 2,655 people 8.5 per resident Carver Memorial Library 22,495
14 Map of Scarborough ScarboroughCumberland County · 23,215 people 8.4 per resident Scarborough Public Library 199,241
15 Dover-Foxcroft Dover-FoxcroftPiscataquis County · 4,506 people 8.1 per resident Thompson Free Library 36,758
16 Kittery KitteryYork County · 10,473 people 8.0 per resident Rice Public Library 86,537
17 Portland Portland68,854 people 7.5 per resident Portland Public Library 521,529
18 Winthrop WinthropKennebec County · 6,191 people 7.2 per resident Charles M. Bailey Public Library 44,952
19 YorkYork County · 13,986 people 7.0 per resident York Public Library 99,334
20 Hampden HampdenPenobscot County · 7,896 people 7.0 per resident Edythe Dyer Community Library 55,588
21 South Portland South Portland26,930 people 6.8 per resident South Portland Public Library 182,199
22 Gray GrayCumberland County · 8,429 people 6.6 per resident Gray Public Library 55,646
23 Bangor Bangor31,938 people 6.5 per resident Bangor Public Library 205,799
24 Union UnionKnox County · 2,663 people 6.3 per resident Vose Library 15,287
25 Augusta Augusta19,077 people 6.2 per resident Lithgow Public Library 119,024
26 Wells WellsYork County · 11,713 people 6.2 per resident Wells Public Library 73,809
27 Norway NorwayOxford County · 5,228 people 5.9 per resident Norway Memorial Library 31,115
28 Kennebunkport KennebunkportYork County · 3,684 people 5.5 per resident Louis T. Graves Memorial Library 20,493
29 Old Orchard Beach Old Orchard BeachYork County · 9,244 people 5.4 per resident Libby Memorial Library 50,191
30 North Berwick North BerwickYork County · 5,129 people 5.3 per resident D.A. Hurd Library 27,555
31 Auburn Auburn24,602 people 5.2 per resident Auburn Public Library 143,720
32 Saco Saco20,819 people 5.2 per resident Dyer Library 108,588
33 South Berwick South BerwickYork County · 7,670 people 5.2 per resident South Berwick Public Library 40,480
34 Bridgton BridgtonCumberland County · 5,642 people 5.2 per resident Bridgton Public Library 29,723
35 LincolnPenobscot County · 4,890 people 5.2 per resident Lincoln Memorial Library 25,526
36 Oakland OaklandKennebec County · 6,309 people 5.1 per resident Oakland Public Library 32,322
37 Farmington FarmingtonFranklin County · 8,157 people 5.0 per resident Farmington Public Library 42,043
38 Jay JayFranklin County · 4,657 people 5.0 per resident Jay-Niles Memorial Library 23,095
39 Thomaston ThomastonKnox County · 2,769 people 5.0 per resident Thomaston Public Library 13,689
40 Windham WindhamCumberland County · 19,188 people 4.8 per resident Windham Public Library 95,081
41 Raymond RaymondCumberland County · 4,610 people 4.6 per resident Raymond Village Library 21,070
42 Readfield ReadfieldKennebec County · 2,651 people 4.5 per resident Readfield Community Library 11,963
43 Waterville Waterville17,077 people 4.4 per resident Waterville Public Library 74,405
44 Limerick LimerickYork County · 3,400 people 4.4 per resident Limerick Public Library 15,658
45 Hallowell Hallowell2,592 people 4.4 per resident Hubbard Free Library 11,374
46 Calais Calais3,097 people 4.3 per resident Calais Free Library 13,311
47 Biddeford Biddeford22,498 people 4.1 per resident Mcarthur Public Library 92,546
48 Brewer Brewer9,652 people 4.1 per resident Brewer Public Library 39,542
49 Wilton WiltonFranklin County · 3,862 people 4.0 per resident Wilton Free Public Library 15,540
50 St. George St. GeorgeKnox County · 2,606 people 3.9 per resident Jackson Memorial Library 10,205
51 Millinocket MillinocketPenobscot County · 4,115 people 3.6 per resident Millinocket Memorial Library 14,883
52 Lisbon LisbonAndroscoggin County · 9,750 people 3.5 per resident Lisbon Library Dept 34,138
53 Naples NaplesCumberland County · 3,985 people 3.5 per resident Naples Public Library 14,088
54 Berwick BerwickYork County · 8,175 people 3.4 per resident Berwick Public Library 28,122
55 Alfred AlfredYork County · 3,125 people 3.4 per resident Parsons Memorial Library 10,987
56 Poland PolandAndroscoggin County · 5,954 people 3.3 per resident Ricker Memorial Library 19,357
57 Bowdoinham BowdoinhamSagadahoc County · 3,142 people 3.2 per resident Bowdoinham Public Library 10,125
58 Presque Isle Presque Isle8,736 people 3.1 per resident Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library 26,617
59 Vassalboro VassalboroKennebec County · 4,592 people 3.1 per resident Vassalboro Public Library 14,448
60 Monmouth MonmouthKennebec County · 4,162 people 3.1 per resident Cumston Public Library 13,184
61 Winslow WinslowKennebec County · 8,023 people 3.0 per resident Winslow Public Library 24,219
62 Eliot EliotYork County · 7,146 people 3.0 per resident William Fogg Public Library 22,209
63 Map of Waldoboro WaldoboroLincoln County · 5,253 people 3.0 per resident Waldoboro Public Library 16,091
64 Bristol BristolLincoln County · 2,917 people 3.0 per resident Bristol Area Library 8,949
65 Westbrook Westbrook20,775 people 2.9 per resident Walker Memorial Library 60,191
66 Waterboro WaterboroYork County · 8,055 people 2.9 per resident Waterboro Public Library 23,807
67 New Gloucester New GloucesterCumberland County · 5,766 people 2.9 per resident New Gloucester Public Library 17,024
68 OrringtonPenobscot County · 3,853 people 2.7 per resident Orrington Public Library 10,568
69 Skowhegan SkowheganSomerset County · 8,653 people 2.6 per resident Skowhegan Free Public Library 22,634
70 RichmondSagadahoc County · 3,566 people 2.5 per resident Isaac F. Umberhine Public Library 8,761
71 Lewiston Lewiston38,324 people 2.3 per resident Lewiston Public Library 88,659
72 Sanford Sanford22,247 people 2.3 per resident Goodall Memorial Library 50,287
73 Turner TurnerAndroscoggin County · 5,891 people 2.2 per resident Turner Public Library 13,259
74 Greene GreeneAndroscoggin County · 4,417 people 2.2 per resident Julia Adams Morse Memorial Library 9,775
75 Mechanic Falls Mechanic FallsAndroscoggin County · 3,134 people 2.1 per resident Mechanic Falls Public Library 6,490
76 Livermore Falls Livermore FallsAndroscoggin County · 3,102 people 2.1 per resident Treat Memorial Library 6,497
77 Fairfield FairfieldSomerset County · 6,519 people 2.0 per resident Lawrence Public Library 12,755
78 Map of Madawaska MadawaskaAroostook County · 3,853 people 2.0 per resident Madawaska Public Library 7,715
79 Fryeburg FryeburgOxford County · 3,489 people 2.0 per resident Fryeburg Public Library 7,221
80 Limington LimingtonYork County · 4,017 people 1.9 per resident Davis Memorial Library 7,633
81 Belgrade BelgradeKennebec County · 3,351 people 1.9 per resident Belgrade Public Library 6,398
82 Rumford RumfordOxford County · 5,942 people 1.7 per resident Rumford Public Library 11,568
83 Winterport WinterportWaldo County · 3,850 people 1.7 per resident Winterport Memorial Library 6,634
84 Fort Kent Fort KentAroostook County · 4,150 people 1.5 per resident Fort Kent Public Library 6,143
85 Warren WarrenKnox County · 4,932 people 1.3 per resident Warren Free Public Library 6,180
86 Shapleigh ShapleighYork County · 2,976 people 1.3 per resident Shapleigh Community Library 3,871
87 Carmel CarmelPenobscot County · 2,941 people 1.3 per resident Simpson Memorial Library 3,935
88 Norridgewock NorridgewockSomerset County · 3,288 people 1.1 per resident Norridgewock Public Library 3,708
89 Fort Fairfield Fort FairfieldAroostook County · 3,309 people 1.0 per resident Fort Fairfield Public Library 3,313
90 Acton ActonYork County · 2,721 people 1.0 per resident Acton Public Library 2,685
91 Clinton ClintonKennebec County · 3,385 people 0.9 per resident Brown Memorial Library - Clinton 2,980
92 MexicoOxford County · 2,782 people 0.9 per resident Mexico Free Public Library 2,482
93 Lebanon LebanonYork County · 6,629 people 0.5 per resident Martha Sawyer Community Library 3,365
94 Harpswell HarpswellCumberland County · 5,046 people 0.5 per resident Orrs Island Library 2,463
95 Map of China ChinaKennebec County · 4,526 people 0.5 per resident South China Public Library 2,508
96 Oxford OxfordOxford County · 4,333 people 0.5 per resident Freeland Holmes Library 2,000
97 Buxton BuxtonYork County · 8,512 people 0.2 per resident West Buxton Public Library Association 1,714
98 Standish StandishCumberland County · 10,662 people 0.1 per resident Richville Library 610

How this ranking works

We rank every town by books, movies, e-books and other items the town’s public library lent in a year, per resident. The highest figure ranks #1. Each library reports its own yearly numbers to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (fiscal year 2024), and each town’s Library page shows how it compares with libraries of a similar size nationwide.

A town is ranked only when its library system serves that town alone, and the library’s own count of the people it serves is within 20% of the town’s population. Towns served by a county or regional system, or sharing a library with a neighbor, can’t be credited with the numbers, so they aren’t ranked. Libraries that didn’t respond to the survey aren’t ranked either. Vacation towns can rank high because summer residents and visitors use the library too.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Libraries: IMLS Public Libraries Survey. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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