Compare towns
Carmel vs Gray vs Bangor
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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Gray | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Lowest |
8,429 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Carmel and Gray 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% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,055±$43Lowest 7% below ME |
| Gray and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Bangor 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| 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.