Compare towns
Carmel vs Mapleton vs Kittery vs Parsonsfield
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 most homeowners (87.9%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Kittery has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Parsonsfield has the most kids (25% 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 | Mapleton | Kittery | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,941 |
1,884 |
10,473Highest |
1,715Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.8±2.3Highest 4% above ME |
44.3±5.9 about the ME average |
| Kittery 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Kittery 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$72,045±$18kLowest 4% below ME |
| Kittery and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$272,100±$21k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,185±$312 4% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662 12% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$2,350 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
78.2%±35Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Parsonsfield and Carmel 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
48 minHighest 97% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Kittery Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.