Compare towns
Calais vs Milo vs Wayne
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%).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Milo | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
2,165 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne 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% |
16.8%±4.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Calais 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% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$56,875±$9kLowest 24% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199Highest 11% below ME |
$879±$400Lowest 23% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Calais and Wayne 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 |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | 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 |
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.