Compare towns
Carmel vs Orono
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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,941Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Carmel and Orono 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% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
| Carmel and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
| Orono and Carmel 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 |
$1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
| Carmel and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Carmel 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% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Carmel 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 | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | None in town | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.