Compare towns

Carmel vs New Gloucester vs Ogunquit vs Etna

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).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k 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.

MeasureCarmelNew GloucesterOgunquitEtna
People
Population
2,941
5,766Highest
1,379
1,252Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.6%
ME: +2.6%
+2.4%
ME: +2.6%
+76.8%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-1.6%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
46.4±4.5
4% above ME
40.1±5.5Lowest
10% below ME
62.8±4.8Highest
40% above ME
41.9±3.4
6% below ME
Kids under 18
18.6%±4.3
ME: 18.1%
24.2%±5.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
ME: 18.1%
20%±6.7
ME: 18.1%
New Gloucester and Etna 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%
15.4%±4.2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
43.6%±10.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
18.5%±1.1
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
17.2%
ME: 36.2%
30.7%
ME: 36.2%
63.5%Highest
ME: 36.2%
13.9%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.9%±1.3
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2.1
ME: 5.8%
4.2%±2.8Highest
ME: 5.8%
0.6%±0.5Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Ogunquit and New Gloucester 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
$108,797±$12k
46% above ME
$114,259±$56kHighest
53% above ME
$72,379±$16kLowest
3% below ME
Ogunquit and New Gloucester 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
$357,100±$29k
20% above ME
$875,700±$79kHighest
195% above ME
$183,000±$49kLowest
38% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,276±$187Highest
12% above ME
$1,150±$249Lowest
about the ME average
— —
Carmel and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,662
12% below ME
$3,417
13% above ME
$4,473Highest
47% above ME
$1,745Lowest
43% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±38.1
ME: 48.4%
24.7%±12
ME: 48.4%
0%±61.1Lowest
ME: 48.4%
66.7%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
Etna and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
13.6%
ME: 10.7%
4.3%
ME: 10.7%
3.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
15.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.9%
ME: 74.3%
82.9%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
94.3%
ME: 74.3%
94.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1996Highest
19 yrs newer than ME
1991
14 yrs newer than ME
1978Lowest
1 yr newer than ME
1993
16 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
about the ME average
27 min
9% above ME
26 min
7% above ME
28 minHighest
12% above ME
Work from home
6.5%±4.4
ME: 15.9%
14.2%±6.5
ME: 15.9%
43.3%±12.4Highest
ME: 15.9%
5.6%±3.3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #77 of 133 in ME #65 of 133 in ME — —
School district RSU 87/MSAD 23 RSU 15/MSAD 15 — —
High school in town None in town None in town — —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.