What stands out worked out from the figures below

Clifton has the most affordable homes ($203k median).

Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).

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.

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

Measure	Clifton	Eliot
People
Population	1,111Lowest	7,146Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-8.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	52.7±7.1Highest 18% above ME	50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME
	Clifton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16%±7.1Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%
	Eliot and Clifton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±7.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	Eliot and Clifton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	43.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.6%±8.5Highest ME: 5.8%	2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Clifton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,313±$16kLowest 6% below ME	$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$202,500±$67kLowest 32% below ME	$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$624Lowest 7% above ME	$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME
	Eliot and Clifton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,838Lowest 39% below ME	$4,549Highest 50% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	81.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	55.1%±20.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Clifton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.2%Highest ME: 10.7%	4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 19% above ME	23 minLowest 9% below ME
Work from home	9.1%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#19 of 133 in ME
School district	—	RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town	—	None in town
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.