What stands out worked out from the figures below

Caribou has the most affordable homes ($134k median).

Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Caribou	Freeport
People
Population	7,382Lowest	8,802Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME	48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME
	Caribou and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Freeport and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4%	26.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Caribou and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	59.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%	5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Freeport and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME	$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME	$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME	$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,680Lowest 45% below ME	$5,042Highest 66% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Freeport and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%	8.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	77.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME	1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	15 minLowest 40% below ME	24 minHighest 4% below ME
Work from home	12.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Freeport and Caribou 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	#59 of 133 in ME	#4 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 39	RSU 05
High school in town	Caribou High School	Freeport High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2Highest	12.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.