Compare towns
Bremen vs Exeter vs Islesboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Islesboro has the shortest commute (8 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 | Bremen | Exeter | Islesboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 917 |
1,093Highest |
636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2Lowest 16% above ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
| Islesboro and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Bremen and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
40.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$88,438±$44k 18% above ME |
| Bremen and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28kHighest 43% above ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$288,800±$140k about the ME average |
| Bremen and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$938±$252Lowest 18% below ME |
| Exeter and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829 7% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$4,300Highest 42% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.8%±85.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Exeter and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
8 minLowest 69% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bremen and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.