Compare towns
Calais vs Mapleton vs Milo vs Mexico
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).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Mexico has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Mapleton | Milo | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,884Lowest |
2,165 |
2,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.9±7Highest about the ME average |
43.4±2.8 3% below ME |
| Milo 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Mexico 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Mexico 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mexico 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$55,727±$9kLowest 25% 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 |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$110,800±$10k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$879±$400 23% below ME |
$1,027±$275Highest 10% below ME |
| Mexico 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,961Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mexico 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
19.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Mexico 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 | — | — | #130 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town |
| 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.