Compare towns
Calais vs Mexico vs Ogunquit vs Baring plantation
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 most renters (26.6% rent).
Mexico has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Baring plantation has the shortest commute (13 min average).
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 | Mexico | Ogunquit | Baring plantation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
2,782 |
1,379 |
166Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
43.4±2.8Lowest 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
48.5±19.8 8% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Baring plantation 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% |
19.8%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.1%±11.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mexico and Calais 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% |
20.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
28.3%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Baring plantation 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% |
13%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±6.7Lowest 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 |
$55,727±$9kLowest 25% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
— |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$110,800±$10kLowest 63% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$117,700±$20k 60% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199Lowest 11% 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 |
$1,961 35% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,167Lowest 62% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
62.8%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±100 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% ME: 10.7% |
19.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1958Lowest 19 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 min 35% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 133 in ME | #130 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | Rumford-Region 9 · RSU 10 | — | — |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.