Compare towns
Carmel vs Windham vs Parsonsfield
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Parsonsfield has the most kids (25% under 18).
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 | Windham | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941 |
19,188Highest |
1,715Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
44.3±5.9 about the ME average |
| Carmel and Parsonsfield 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% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
25%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Parsonsfield 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham 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±$22k 10% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$72,045±$18kLowest 4% below ME |
| Windham 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$272,100±$21k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,185±$312Lowest 4% above ME |
| Carmel and Windham 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,350Lowest 23% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.2%±35Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Parsonsfield and Carmel 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
48 minHighest 97% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.