Compare towns
Windsor vs 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
Windsor has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Exeter has the most people working from home (10.3%).
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 | Exeter | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690 |
1,093Lowest |
2,941Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±8Lowest about the ME average |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
46.4±4.5 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 | 23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5 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+ | 21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
17.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$82,188±$22k 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 | $228,800±$22k 23% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% 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±$400 11% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% 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 | $2,160 29% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,662Highest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.1% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter 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 | — | 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.