Compare towns
Carmel vs Ogunquit vs Chelsea
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($182k 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 | Ogunquit | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,379Lowest |
2,823 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42.2±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$85,471±$10k 14% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Chelsea 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
— | $1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
| Chelsea and Carmel 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,313Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Chelsea 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
36 minHighest 48% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | — | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school 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.