Compare towns
Chesterville vs Exeter vs Jay vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Chesterville | Exeter | Jay | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,093Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
39.5±5.1 12% below ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Exeter and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Exeter and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$264,200±$23kHighest 11% below ME |
| Mount Vernon and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Chesterville and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Exeter and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | RSU 73 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | — | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.