Compare towns
Carmel vs Wells vs Newburgh
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Newburgh has the most renters (18.8% rent).
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 | Wells | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941 |
11,713Highest |
1,475Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
| Wells and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$76,750±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Wells 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±$37k 13% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$244,600±$20kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Wells 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 |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$2,748 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Newburgh 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.