Compare towns
Calais vs Robbinston vs Unity 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 the most affordable homes ($111k median).
Robbinston has the most expensive homes ($228k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Pittsfield has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Robbinston | Unity | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
621Lowest |
1,858 |
3,930Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
48.1±2.7Highest 7% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
40±6.5 11% below ME |
| Robbinston 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% |
14.3%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield 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% |
27.1%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Robbinston 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% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
$68,333±$13kHighest 9% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$57,381±$12kLowest 23% below ME |
| Robbinston 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±$36kLowest 63% below ME |
$228,000±$41kHighest 23% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$164,100±$17k 45% below ME |
| Robbinston and Unity 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 |
$1,232±$808Highest 8% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$825±$260Lowest 28% below ME |
| Robbinston 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 |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,965 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
60.6%±26.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±21.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Robbinston 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% |
15.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 53/MSAD 53 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.