Compare towns
Calais vs Exeter 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (10.3%).
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 | Exeter | Milo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,093Lowest |
2,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
| Exeter 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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+ | 24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$56,875±$9kLowest 24% below ME |
| Exeter 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 |
$166,700±$39kHighest 44% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
| Exeter and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199Highest 11% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$879±$400Lowest 23% below ME |
| Calais and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,684Highest 45% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Milo 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter and Milo 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 | — | RSU 41/MSAD 41 |
| High school 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.