Compare towns
Milo 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).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
Mars Hill has the most people working from home (6.9%).
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 | Calais | Mars Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,165 |
3,097Highest |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7Highest about the ME average |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
43.4±3Lowest 3% below ME |
| Milo and Calais 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% |
16.4%±4.7Lowest 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% |
24.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill and Calais 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% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest 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±$9kLowest 24% 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 |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
$163,600±$23kHighest 45% below ME |
| Mars Hill and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $879±$400 23% below ME |
$1,010±$199Highest 11% below ME |
$488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
| Calais and Milo 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 |
$1,684 45% below ME |
$1,843Highest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest 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% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr 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 |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mars Hill and Milo 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 | Calais Public Schools | RSU 42/MSAD 42 |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | 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 |
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.