What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Rockland has the most expensive homes ($246k 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	Rockland
People
Population	7,382Highest	7,035Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-4.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME	49.3±6Lowest 10% above ME
	Caribou and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1%	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Caribou and Rockland 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%	25.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Caribou and Rockland 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%	35.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.2 ME: 5.8%	2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME	$56,533±$6kHighest 24% below ME
	Rockland and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME	$245,800±$38kHighest 17% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME	$1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,680Lowest 45% below ME	$4,059Highest 34% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Rockland 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%	10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%	62%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 17 yrs older than ME	1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	15 minHighest 40% below ME	12 minLowest 50% below ME
Work from home	12.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Rockland 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	#96 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 39	Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13
High school in town	Caribou High School	Oceanside High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.