What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rockland has the most expensive homes ($246k median).

Caribou has the most affordable homes ($134k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rockland	Caribou
People
Population	7,035Lowest	7,382Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Highest ME: +2.6%	-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.3±6Lowest 10% above ME	51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME
	Caribou and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Caribou and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Caribou and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.6%Highest ME: 36.2%	28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8%	2.4%±1.2 ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,533±$6kHighest 24% below ME	$53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME
	Rockland and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,800±$38kHighest 17% below ME	$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME	$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,059Highest 34% above ME	$1,680Lowest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4%	45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Rockland and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62%Lowest ME: 74.3%	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME	1960Highest 17 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	12 minLowest 50% below ME	15 minHighest 40% below ME
Work from home	22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9%	12.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Rockland and Caribou 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	#96 of 133 in ME	#59 of 133 in ME
School district	Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13	RSU 39
High school in town	Oceanside High School	Caribou High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	14.2Highest
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.