Compare towns
Limestone vs Monroe 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 people working from home (14.5%).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Calais has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Monroe | Milo | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,579 |
1,001Lowest |
2,165 |
3,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9Highest about the ME average |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
43.9±7 about the ME average |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
| Limestone and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Limestone 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% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Monroe 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% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Monroe 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 |
$81,300±$7kHighest 9% above ME |
$56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18k 67% below ME |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
$879±$400 23% below ME |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
| Monroe and Calais 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 |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$1,450 52% below ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Monroe 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% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.8% ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
42 minHighest 70% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Monroe 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 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 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.