Compare towns
Calais vs Appleton vs Chapman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most affordable homes ($111k median).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Calais | Appleton | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,360 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
45.7±11.4 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $111,100±$36kLowest 63% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$185,700±$22k 37% below ME |
| Appleton and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% 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 | $1,684Lowest 45% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,850 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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 | 21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Chapman 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 | #48 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.