Compare towns
Milo vs Palmyra vs Unity 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).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Calais has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Palmyra | Unity | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,165 |
2,209 |
1,858Lowest |
3,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7Highest about the ME average |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.8±5.1 about the ME average |
| 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% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Milo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,875±$9kLowest 24% below ME |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$64,096±$10kHighest 14% below ME |
| Calais and Unity 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 |
$154,900±$34k 48% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
| Unity and Palmyra 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 |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$1,010±$199Highest 11% 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 |
$1,614 47% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest 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% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Palmyra 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 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.4 |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.