The Town FilesCalais, Maine
City in Washington County · population 3,079 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $111,100
- Household income
- $64,096
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 95 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 43.8
Calais is a city of 3,079 people in Washington County, Maine. The median home is worth $111,100, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more seaside character than 96% of Maine towns, easier by car than 87% of Maine towns, more walkable than 83% of Maine towns.
How Calais ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Calais is worth $111,100, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $64,096, which is more affordable than 99% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,010 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Calais | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $111,100 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,010 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $64,096 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.6% | — |
Who lives in Calais
| People | Calais | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.1% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.4% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.5% | 90.0% |
Weather in Calais
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 11.0°F. About 54.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 95.0 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Calais since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 7, 1954 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 29, 1961.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 28, 1991.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 10,211 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,219 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Calais itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Calais
3 public schools with 557 students, about 9.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calais Middle/High School | 7-12 | 300 | 12.5 |
| Calais Elementary School | PK-6 | 257 | 9.9 |
| St Croix Regional Technical Center | Other | — | — |
Calais questions
Is Calais, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Calais scores better for retirees than 71% of Maine towns and quieter than 23%. 24.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Calais?
The median owner-occupied home in Calais is valued at $111,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,096, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $1,010 a month.
What is the weather like in Calais?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 11.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.7 inches of precipitation a year and 95.0 inches of snow.
Does Calais get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Calais since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 7, 1954. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)