Compare towns
Appleton vs Calais vs Milo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Calais has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
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 | Appleton | Calais | Milo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,097Highest |
2,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Milo and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,096±$10kHighest 14% below ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
| Calais and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$879±$400Lowest 23% below ME |
| Appleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #48 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Calais Public Schools | RSU 41/MSAD 41 |
| High school in town | None in town | Calais Middle/High School | Penquis Valley Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| 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.