Compare towns
Etna vs Steuben 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 homeowners (94.9%).
Steuben has the most people working from home (11.8%).
Carmel has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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 | Steuben | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252Lowest |
1,388 |
2,941Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 6% below ME |
40.1±8.5Lowest 10% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
| Carmel and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Steuben and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Etna and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
$76,466±$4k about the ME average |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
| Carmel and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49k 38% below ME |
$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
| Carmel and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
$2,029 33% below ME |
$2,662Highest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.3%±87.8Lowest 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% |
5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 12% above ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Steuben and Carmel 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 24 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.