Compare towns
Carmel vs Etna vs Windham
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 oldest population (median age 46.4).
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941 |
1,252Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 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%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Etna and Carmel 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham 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 |
$183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
— | $1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Carmel and Windham 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 |
$1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| 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.