Compare towns
Carmel vs Mapleton vs Waldo
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 expensive homes ($257k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,884 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Carmel and Mapleton 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Waldo 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% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,458±$21kLowest 4% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Carmel and Waldo 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Waldo 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | None 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.