Compare towns
Eliot vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Eliot | Carmel |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,146Highest |
2,941Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above ME |
| Eliot and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Eliot and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
| Eliot and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.