Compare towns
Carmel vs Milbridge vs Sullivan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Milbridge has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Milbridge | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,222Lowest |
1,246 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
-1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above ME |
50.3±6.2Highest 12% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
| Milbridge and Sullivan 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% |
22.5%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Milbridge 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% |
30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Milbridge and Sullivan 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% |
24.7% ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan 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±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$60,536±$16k 19% below ME |
$59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
| Carmel and Milbridge 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 |
$240,400±$31k 19% below ME |
$222,000±$33kLowest 25% below ME |
| Carmel and Milbridge 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 |
$619±$186Lowest 46% below ME |
$883±$114 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$2,022Lowest 33% below ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6 ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Milbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Milbridge and Sullivan 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 37/MSAD 37 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.5 |
| 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.