Compare towns
Calais vs Limestone vs Pittsfield
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%).
Limestone has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Pittsfield has the most expensive homes ($164k 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 | Limestone | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097 |
1,579Lowest |
3,930Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
40±6.5Lowest 11% below ME |
| Limestone and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield and Limestone 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% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Limestone 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% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,096±$10kHighest 14% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$57,381±$12k 23% below ME |
| Calais and Pittsfield 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 |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$164,100±$17kHighest 45% below ME |
| Pittsfield 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 |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$825±$260 28% below ME |
| Calais and Pittsfield 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 |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,965Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±21.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Pittsfield 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% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1970Highest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Pittsfield 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 | — | #125 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 53/MSAD 53 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.