Compare towns
Calais vs Wayne vs Searsport
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).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Searsport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
1,101Lowest |
2,655 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42.9±7.2Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Calais and Searsport 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% |
23.7%±7.1Lowest 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% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.5Lowest 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±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$64,303±$19k 14% below ME |
| Wayne and Searsport 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$224,400±$78k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,105±$87Highest about the ME average |
| Searsport 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,225 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.2%±25.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Searsport 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% |
14.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
69.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 35% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±9.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Searsport 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 | — | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Calais Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | 8.2Lowest |
| 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.