What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Rockport has the most expensive homes ($469k 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	Rockport
People
Population	7,382Highest	3,675Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+9.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME	48.7±3.7Lowest 9% above ME
	Caribou and Rockport 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%	20.9%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Rockport 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%	24.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Caribou and Rockport 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%	51.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%	5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Rockport 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	$86,979±$16kHighest 16% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME	$469,000±$50kHighest 58% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME	$1,194±$667Highest 5% above ME
	Rockport and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,680Lowest 45% below ME	$5,764Highest 90% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	53.4%±42.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Rockport 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%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME	1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	15 minHighest 40% below ME	11 minLowest 54% below ME
Work from home	12.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	17.1%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Rockport 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	#8 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 39	Five Town CSD · RSU 28/MSAD 28
High school in town	Caribou High School	Camden Hills Regional H S
Students per teacherat that high school	14.2Highest	12.6Lowest
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.