Compare towns
Paris vs Anson vs Presque Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paris has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Anson has the most homeowners (79.3%).
Presque Isle has the shortest commute (14 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 | Paris | Anson | Presque Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,317 |
2,331Lowest |
8,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.8% ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
46.7±6.2 4% above ME |
44.1±3.5Lowest about the ME average |
| Paris and Anson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Anson and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
11.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Presque Isle and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,137±$20kHighest about the ME average |
$52,474±$21kLowest 30% below ME |
$55,768±$6k 25% below ME |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$57kHighest 19% below ME |
$117,800±$14kLowest 60% below ME |
$147,200±$11k 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $928±$62Highest 19% below ME |
$904±$54Lowest 21% below ME |
| Anson and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,649Highest 13% below ME |
$1,572Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,401 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.6%±23.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
8.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
57.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1972 5 yrs older than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 9% below ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Paris and Presque Isle 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 | #114 of 133 in ME | — | #62 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | Carrabec High School | Presque Isle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
13.7Highest |
| 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.