Compare towns
Carmel vs Strong vs Sullivan
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%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Strong | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,249 |
1,246Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
47.1±15 5% above ME |
| Strong and Sullivan 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% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong 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%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.5%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sullivan and Strong 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% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,643±$14k 20% below ME |
| Carmel and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
| Carmel and Sullivan 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
| Carmel and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,228 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Sullivan 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Sullivan 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sumner Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.5 |
| 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.