Compare towns
Milo vs Waldo vs Limestone 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).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Limestone has the most renters (38.8% rent).
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 | Waldo | Limestone | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,165 |
926Lowest |
1,579 |
3,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7 about the ME average |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
45.3±4.9Highest 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 | 16.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Limestone 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% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Calais 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 |
$71,458±$21kHighest 4% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
| Waldo 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 |
$208,000±$41kHighest 30% below ME |
$98,400±$18k 67% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $879±$400 23% below ME |
$1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
| Waldo and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,450 52% below ME |
$1,623 47% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,684Highest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo 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% |
10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Limestone 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 | Waldo-Region 7 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 8.6Lowest |
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.