Compare towns
Carmel vs Orono vs Hermon
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 homeowners (87.9%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Lowest |
11,902Highest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
| Carmel and Hermon 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% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
| Hermon and Carmel 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±$40k 8% below ME |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
| Hermon and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon and Carmel 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 |
$2,761 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Hermon 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 | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 26 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Orono High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.