Compare towns
Calais vs Troy 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 shortest commute (16 min average).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Pittsfield has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
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 | Troy | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097 |
984Lowest |
3,930Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
40±6.5Lowest 11% below ME |
| Troy and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittsfield and Troy 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%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Troy 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% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittsfield 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±$10kHighest 14% below ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$57,381±$12k 23% below ME |
| Calais and Pittsfield 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 |
$213,000±$31kHighest 28% below ME |
$164,100±$17k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$825±$260Lowest 28% below ME |
| Troy and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,684Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,752 42% below ME |
$1,965Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±21.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Troy 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% |
17.8% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Troy 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 | RSU 53/MSAD 53 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.