Compare towns
Carmel vs Gray vs Union
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).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Union has the most kids (24.9% 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 | Gray | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941 |
8,429Highest |
2,663Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% 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%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Gray 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% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Union 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% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Union 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$80,724±$9kLowest 8% above 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±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,179±$452Lowest 4% above 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 |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 16% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Gray 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.