Compare towns
Milo vs Washburn 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).
Washburn has the most people working from home (9.7%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.4%).
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 | Washburn | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,165 |
1,355Lowest |
3,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±7 about the ME average |
48.2±7.7Highest 8% above ME |
43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Washburn 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% |
21.7%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Washburn 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%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Washburn 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% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Calais and Washburn 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 |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
$64,096±$10kHighest 14% below ME |
| Calais and Milo 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 |
$112,900±$14kHighest 62% below ME |
$111,100±$36k 63% below ME |
| Washburn 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 |
$482±$62Lowest 58% 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 |
$1,571 48% below ME |
$1,684Highest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.8 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7Lowest 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% |
12.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 70% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.1 ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Highest 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 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | Calais Public Schools |
| High school in town | Penquis Valley Middle/High School | Washburn District High School | Calais Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.0Lowest |
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.