Compare towns
Rockland vs South Thomaston vs Caribou
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).
South Thomaston has the highest household income ($87k).
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.
| Measure | Rockland | South Thomaston | Caribou |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,035 |
1,381Lowest |
7,382Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±6Lowest 10% above ME |
54.3±11.3Highest 21% above ME |
51.3±1.7 15% above ME |
| South Thomaston and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±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% |
34.8%±8.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
| South Thomaston and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±9.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Thomaston and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,533±$6k 24% below ME |
$86,838±$7kHighest 16% above ME |
$53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$38k 17% below ME |
$341,300±$37kHighest 15% above ME |
$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
$925±$633 19% below ME |
$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME |
| Rockland and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,059Highest 34% above ME |
$3,442 13% above ME |
$1,680Lowest 45% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
63.6%±43.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Thomaston and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1960 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 50% below ME |
16 minHighest 36% below ME |
15 min 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.3%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.5%±3.8 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 | 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.