Compare towns
Calais vs Mapleton vs Starks vs Searsport
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 highest household income ($92k).
Starks has the most homeowners (90%).
Searsport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Starks | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
2,655 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4Highest 4% above ME |
42.9±7.2 4% below ME |
| Starks and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
23.7%±7.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Searsport 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.5 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8kLowest 15% below ME |
$64,303±$19k 14% below ME |
| Mapleton and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $111,100±$36kLowest 63% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27k 50% below ME |
$224,400±$78kHighest 24% below ME |
| Searsport 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301 7% below ME |
$1,105±$87Highest about the ME average |
| Searsport and Starks 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 |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,225Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
48.2%±25.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Searsport 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% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
14.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
69.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Searsport 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 | — | — | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | — | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | — | 8.2Lowest |
| 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.