Calais is a very small coastal city (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Maine. With a population of 3,126 people and just one neighborhood, Calais is the 149th largest community in Maine. Calais has a large stock of pre-World War II architecture, making it one of the older and more historic cities in the country.
Calais is a decidedly white-collar city, with fully 89.67% of the workforce employed in white-collar jobs, well above the national average. Overall, Calais is a city of professionals, sales and office workers, and service providers. There are especially a lot of people living in Calais who work in sales jobs (15.64%), management occupations (13.41%), and office and administrative support (7.75%).
Also of interest is that Calais has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.
Calais is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.
Residents of the city have the good fortune of having one of the shortest daily commutes compared to the rest of the country. On average, they spend only 14.79 minutes getting to work every day.
As is often the case in a small city, Calais doesn't have a public transportation system that people use for their commute.
The overall education level of Calais is somewhat higher than in the average US city of 21.84%: 26.09% of adults 25 and older in the city have at least a bachelor's degree.
The per capita income in Calais in 2022 was $31,240, which is lower middle income relative to Maine, and middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $124,960 for a family of four. However, Calais contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
The people who call Calais home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Calais residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Calais include English, Irish, German, Scottish, and French.
The most common language spoken in Calais is English. Other important languages spoken here include Italian and German/Yiddish.
When you see a neighborhood for the first time, the most important thing is often the way it looks, like its homes and its setting. Some places look the same, but they only reveal their true character after living in them for a while because they contain a unique mix of occupational or cultural groups. This neighborhood is very unique in some important ways, according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive exploration and analysis.
Do you like a coastal setting? If so, this neighborhood may be to your liking. The neighborhood is on the ocean, a bay, or inlet. Often such coastal places have amenities and recreational activities on the waterfront that are attractive to residents and visitors alike. In addition to being coastal, is a very nautical neighborhood, meaning that it is somewhat historic, walkable, densely populated and on the water. This gives the neighborhood a very nautical feel, with some seaside and shipping feel, which some may really enjoy the sights and sounds of.
Regardless of the means by which residents commute, this neighborhood has a length of commute that is notable. Residents of the neighborhood have the pleasure of having one of the shortest commutes to work of any neighborhood in America. 71.6% of the residents have a commute time from home to work (one way) of less than fifteen minutes. This is a higher proportion of residents enjoying a short trip to work than NeighborhoodScout found in 98.8% of U.S. neighborhoods. Less time commuting means more time for other things in life.
The neighborhood has a greater proportion of government workers living in it than 95.9% of the neighborhoods in America, according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis. This is a unique feature of this neighborhood, and one that shapes its character.
Did you know that the neighborhood has more Canadian and English ancestry people living in it than nearly any neighborhood in America? It's true! In fact, 2.7% of this neighborhood's residents have Canadian ancestry and 26.0% have English ancestry.
How wealthy a neighborhood is, from very wealthy, to middle income, to low income is very formative with regard to the personality and character of a neighborhood. Equally important is the rate of people, particularly children, who live below the federal poverty line. In some wealthy gated communities, the areas immediately surrounding can have high rates of childhood poverty, which indicates other social issues. NeighborhoodScout's analysis reveals both aspects of income and poverty for this neighborhood.
The neighbors in the neighborhood in Calais are lower-middle income, making it a below average income neighborhood. NeighborhoodScout's research shows that this neighborhood has an income lower than 84.2% of U.S. neighborhoods. With 23.7% of the children here below the federal poverty line, this neighborhood has a higher rate of childhood poverty than 74.7% of U.S. neighborhoods.
A neighborhood is far different if it is dominated by enlisted military personnel rather than people who earn their living by farming. It is also different if most of the neighbors are clerical support or managers. What is wonderful is the sheer diversity of neighborhoods, allowing you to find the type that fits your lifestyle and aspirations.
In the neighborhood, 44.7% of the working population is employed in executive, management, and professional occupations. The second most important occupational group in this neighborhood is sales and service jobs, from major sales accounts, to working in fast food restaurants, with 31.2% of the residents employed. Other residents here are employed in clerical, assistant, and tech support occupations (13.8%), and 13.5% in government jobs, whether they are in local, state, or federal positions.
The most common language spoken in the neighborhood is English, spoken by 96.1% of households. Some people also speak Italian (3.7%).
Culture is the shared learned behavior of peoples. Undeniably, different ethnicities and ancestries have different cultural traditions, and as a result, neighborhoods with concentrations of residents of one or another ethnicities or ancestries will express those cultures. It is what makes the North End in Boston so fun to visit for the Italian restaurants, bakeries, culture, and charm, and similarly, why people enjoy visiting Chinatown in San Francisco.
In the neighborhood in Calais, ME, residents most commonly identify their ethnicity or ancestry as English (26.0%). There are also a number of people of Irish ancestry (14.7%), and residents who report German roots (8.8%), and some of the residents are also of Scottish ancestry (6.1%), along with some French ancestry residents (5.5%), among others.
Even if your neighborhood is walkable, you may still have to drive to your place of work. Some neighborhoods are located where many can get to work in just a few minutes, while others are located such that most residents have a long and arduous commute. The greatest number of commuters in neighborhood spend under 15 minutes commuting one-way to work (71.6% of working residents), one of the shortest commutes across America.
Here most residents (85.6%) drive alone in a private automobile to get to work. In addition, quite a number also carpool with coworkers, friends, or neighbors to get to work (9.5%) . In a neighborhood like this, as in most of the nation, many residents find owning a car useful for getting to work.