Compare towns
Carmel vs Chelsea vs Ogunquit 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).
Chelsea has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Etna has the youngest population (median age 41.9).
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 | Chelsea | Ogunquit | Etna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
2,823 |
1,379 |
1,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
42.2±3.6 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea and Etna 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% |
22.6%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2% ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Chelsea 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 |
$85,471±$10k 14% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Chelsea 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 |
$182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$183,000±$49k 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
$1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
— | — |
| Chelsea 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 |
$2,313 24% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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% |
8.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
36 minHighest 48% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
6%±3 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | #93 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 12 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.