Compare towns
Calais vs Wayne vs Milo
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%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k 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 | Wayne | Milo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,101Lowest |
2,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
| 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1Highest 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$56,875±$9kLowest 24% below 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199Highest 11% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$879±$400Lowest 23% 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School |
| 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.