Compare towns
Milo vs Appleton vs Calais vs Mars Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milo has the most affordable homes ($97k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Calais has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
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 | Milo | Appleton | Calais | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,165 |
1,360Lowest |
3,097Highest |
1,398 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
| Appleton and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,875±$9k 24% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
$65,273±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
$163,600±$23k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $879±$400 23% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Appleton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,450Lowest 52% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
$1,843 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Calais 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% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Mars Hill 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 | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | Appleton Public Schools | Calais Public Schools | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | Calais Middle/High School | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.0 |
8.0Lowest |
| 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.