The Town FilesCarmel, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 2,867 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $256,800
- Household income
- $82,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 46.4
Carmel is a town of 2,867 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $256,800, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for cycling than 99% of Maine towns, quieter than 79% of Maine towns.
How Carmel ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Carmel is worth $256,800, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $82,188, which is more affordable than 64% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,276 a month. 87.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carmel | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $256,800 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,276 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $82,188 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 87.9% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Carmel
| People | Carmel | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.2% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.6% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 14.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.5% | 90.0% |
Weather in Carmel
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.6 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Carmel since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 17, 1959 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 17, 1959.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 28, 1991.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Carmel itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Carmel
2 public schools with 387 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caravel Middle School | 5-8 | 226 | 16.1 |
| Carmel Elementary School | PK-4 | 161 | 10.7 |
Towns near Carmel
- Hermon, ME4.4 mi · 6,461 people · home $333,600
- Levant, ME5.3 mi · 2,940 people · home $268,500
- Hampden, ME7.5 mi · 7,709 people · home $301,300
- Hampden, ME8.8 mi · 4,516 people · home $285,900
- Glenburn, ME10.0 mi · 4,648 people · home $276,900
- Bangor, ME10.7 mi · 31,753 people · home $219,600
- Winterport, ME11.3 mi · 3,817 people · home $283,000
- Newport, ME11.5 mi · 3,133 people · home $234,800
Carmel questions
Is Carmel, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carmel scores better for retirees than 35% of Maine towns and quieter than 79%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.4).
How much does a house cost in Carmel?
The median owner-occupied home in Carmel is valued at $256,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,188, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,276 a month.
What is the weather like in Carmel?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 9.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 74.6 inches of snow.
Does Carmel get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Carmel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 17, 1959. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)