Compare towns
Calais vs Thorndike vs Robbinston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering CalaisBaring plantation
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
Robbinston has the most expensive homes ($228k median).
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 | Thorndike | Robbinston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,403 |
621Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
48.1±2.7Highest 7% above 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% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.1%±3.8Highest 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% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,096±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
$78,438±$14kHighest 5% above ME |
$68,333±$13k 9% below ME |
| Thorndike and Robbinston 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 |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
$228,000±$41kHighest 23% below ME |
| Robbinston and Thorndike 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 |
$836±$317Lowest 27% below ME |
$1,232±$808Highest 8% above 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 |
$2,537Highest 16% below ME |
$1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.6%±26.7Highest 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% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4 ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Robbinston 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 | — | — |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | Mt View High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.