Compare towns
Ashland vs Cherryfield vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Cherryfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Ashland | Cherryfield | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,080 |
809Lowest |
1,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±9.1 19% above ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
52.6±7.7Lowest 17% above ME |
| Cherryfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ashland and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.2%±8 ME: 22.4% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Ashland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $46,838±$15k 37% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,000±$49kLowest 58% below ME |
$195,800±$53kHighest 34% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
| Cherryfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,511Lowest 50% below ME |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±27.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Cherryfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.6% ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.8% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Cherryfield Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.