What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beals has the most kids (16.1% under 18).

Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Beals	Exeter
People
Population	498Lowest	1,093Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-11.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME	52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME
	Exeter and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1%	9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Beals and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4%	23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Beals and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.6%Highest ME: 36.2%	15%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Beals and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME	$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME
	Exeter and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME	$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME	$995±$386Highest 13% below ME
	Exeter and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,580Highest 15% below ME	$1,602Lowest 47% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Exeter and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%	93.1%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 17% below ME	35 minHighest 43% above ME
Work from home	17.6%±10.9Highest ME: 15.9%	10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Beals and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Beals Public Schools	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.