Compare towns
Sidney vs Calais vs Hollis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
Calais has the most affordable homes ($111k median).
Hollis has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Sidney | Calais | Hollis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
3,097Lowest |
4,872Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
43.8±5.1Highest about the ME average |
43.8±4.2Highest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±5.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Calais and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hollis and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$64,096±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
$95,950±$24kHighest 28% above ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$111,100±$36kLowest 63% below ME |
$338,900±$27kHighest 14% above ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,010±$199Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 19% below ME |
$1,684Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,625Highest 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.7%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Calais and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% ME: 10.7% |
21.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
16 minLowest 35% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
2.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hollis and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #48 of 133 in ME | #88 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Calais Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| 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 |
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.