Compare towns
Calais vs Standish vs Middlesex vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Standish | Middlesex | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713 |
10,662Highest |
1,943 |
1,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.4±6 9% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Standish and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$402,600±$71kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,038 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Standish and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.