Compare towns
Bangor vs Carmel vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Bangor | Carmel | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
2,941Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Carmel and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bangor and Hermon 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.