Compare towns
Paris vs Thomaston
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%).
Thomaston 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 | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,317Highest |
2,769Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±5.6Lowest 8% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Paris 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% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 24.6%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Paris and Thomaston 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| Paris and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$57kLowest 19% below ME |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
| Thomaston and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,262±$343 11% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 9% below ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #114 of 133 in ME | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.