Compare towns
Milo vs Hope vs Calais
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).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Milo | Hope | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,165 |
1,748Lowest |
3,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7 about the ME average |
44.6±3.1Highest about the ME average |
43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Hope 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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope 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% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Hope 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% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Milo 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 |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $97,100±$27kLowest 67% below ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $879±$400Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
| Hope 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 |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #48 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 41/MSAD 41 | Hope Public Schools | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.