What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).

Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brooks	Calais
People
Population	1,208Lowest	3,097Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average	43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average
	Brooks and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1%	16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Brooks and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Calais and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Highest ME: 36.2%	25.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8%	5.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Brooks and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME	$64,096±$10kHighest 14% below ME
	Calais and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME	$111,100±$36kLowest 63% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average	$1,010±$199Lowest 11% below ME
	Brooks and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,096Highest 31% below ME	$1,684Lowest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4%	53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4%
	Calais and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%	21.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	16 minLowest 35% below ME
Work from home	14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9%	2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#48 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 03/MSAD 03	Calais Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	Calais Middle/High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.0
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.