Compare towns
Limestone vs Madison vs Milo vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Limestone has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Madison has the most expensive homes ($188k median).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Limestone | Madison | Milo | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
4,782Highest |
2,165 |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
49.6±3.4Highest 11% above ME |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Madison and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$64,096±$10kHighest 14% below ME |
| Calais and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18k 67% below ME |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
$879±$400 23% below ME |
$1,010±$199Highest 11% below ME |
| Calais and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,450 52% below ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.4% ME: 10.7% |
15%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
67.8% ME: 74.3% |
73.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1964 13 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Limestone 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 | — | — | — | #48 of 133 in ME |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Madison Jr/Sr High School | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.0 |
12.5Highest |
12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.