Compare towns
Carmel vs Orono 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 highest household income ($82k).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
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 | Etna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941 |
11,902Highest |
1,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
| Carmel and Etna 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% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Carmel 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% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Etna 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% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$72,379±$16k 3% below ME |
| Carmel and Etna 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 |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$183,000±$49kLowest 38% 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 | $2,662 12% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Orono 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% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest 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 | 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.