Compare towns
Carmel vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Readfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
2,651Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Readfield and Carmel 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 |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
| Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| Carmel and Readfield 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Readfield 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.