Compare towns
Exeter vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most people working from home (10.3%).
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 | Exeter | Carmel |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
2,941Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above ME |
| Exeter and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
| Exeter and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
| Carmel and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,662Highest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Lowest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter 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 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.