Compare towns
Hermon vs Orono vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Carmel has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hermon | Orono | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,727 |
11,902Highest |
2,941Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7 8% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
| Carmel and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$61,528±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Hermon and Orono are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,255±$112Lowest 10% above ME |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
| Hermon and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761 9% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Orono and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1996 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Orono and Hermon 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #26 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 26 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | Orono High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.