Compare towns
Buxton 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
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Buxton | Carmel | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
2,941Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Carmel and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hermon and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
| Buxton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
| Buxton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Buxton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.6 |
| 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.