Compare towns
Robbinston vs Appleton vs Calais vs Pembroke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Robbinston has the highest household income ($68k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Calais has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Pembroke has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
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 | Robbinston | Appleton | Calais | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 621Lowest |
1,360 |
3,097Highest |
801 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±2.7 7% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43.8±5.1Lowest about the ME average |
49.6±4.6Highest 11% above ME |
| Pembroke and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pembroke and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.5%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Pembroke and Robbinston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
6.9%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pembroke and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,333±$13kHighest 9% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$64,096±$10k 14% below ME |
$60,132±$8k 20% below ME |
| Robbinston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,000±$41k 23% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$111,100±$36kLowest 63% below ME |
$142,800±$25k 52% below ME |
| Appleton and Robbinston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$808Highest 8% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,010±$199 11% below ME |
$881±$333Lowest 23% below ME |
| Robbinston and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,478Lowest 51% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,684 45% below ME |
$1,966 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±26.7 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.6%±45 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Robbinston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.2% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 9% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Robbinston 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 | — | Appleton Public Schools | Calais Public Schools | Pembroke Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Calais Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 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.