Compare towns
Carmel vs Buxton vs Etna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Buxton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
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 | Carmel | Buxton | Etna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941 |
8,512Highest |
1,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
41.9±3.4Lowest 6% 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 | 18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2% ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Buxton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
| Buxton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
$356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
— |
| Buxton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662 12% below ME |
$3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Buxton 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.