Compare towns
Calais vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Milo
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 shortest commute (16 min average).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Calais | Appleton | Mapleton | Milo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
2,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
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 | 16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 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+ | 25.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
| Mapleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
| Appleton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$879±$400 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 | $1,684 45% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mapleton 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | None in town | 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 | 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.