Compare towns
Windsor vs Appleton vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Carmel has the highest household income ($82k).
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 | Windsor | Appleton | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690 |
1,360Lowest |
2,941Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,178±$5k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22kLowest 23% below ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
| Carmel and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400 11% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,160Lowest 29% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,662 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Windsor 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 | #44 of 133 in ME | — | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | None 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.