Compare towns
Carmel vs Etna vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Etna has the most homeowners (94.9%).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
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 | Etna | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,252Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Carmel and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Etna and Mapleton 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% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton 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±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
— | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.