Compare towns
Windsor vs Chelsea 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 homeowners (89.1%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($182k median).
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 | Windsor | Chelsea | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690Lowest |
2,823 |
2,941Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8 about the ME average |
42.2±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea and Windsor 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% |
22.6%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Chelsea 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chelsea 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±$5kLowest 15% below ME |
$85,471±$10kHighest 14% above ME |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
| Chelsea and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
$182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,265±$400Lowest 11% above ME |
$1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
| Chelsea and Carmel 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 |
$2,313 24% below ME |
$2,662Highest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Windsor 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% |
8.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 45% above ME |
36 minHighest 48% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 133 in ME | #93 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 12 | RSU 12 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.