Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most people working from home (11.7%).
Carmel has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Bowdoin | Carmel |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,188Highest |
2,941Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
| Carmel and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Carmel and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bowdoin and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 11%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Lowest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoin and Carmel 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.