Compare towns
Carmel vs Exeter vs Windsor
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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (10.3%).
Windsor has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,093Lowest |
2,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
43.5±8Lowest about the ME average |
| Exeter and Carmel 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Carmel 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Windsor 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$63,178±$5kLowest 15% below ME |
| Exeter 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,265±$400 11% above ME |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,160 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 min 43% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter 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 | — | #44 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 |
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.