Compare towns
Etna vs Kennebunk vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Carmel has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Etna | Kennebunk | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252Lowest |
11,820Highest |
2,941 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME |
54.6±3.3Highest 22% above ME |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Etna and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Kennebunk and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
$487,700±$21kHighest 64% above ME |
$256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$2,662 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 21 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 12 photos → | 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.