Compare towns
China vs Exeter vs Palermo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Palermo has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | China | Exeter | Palermo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526Highest |
1,093Lowest |
1,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
43.4±6.1 3% below ME |
| Exeter and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$89,095±$15k 19% above ME |
| China and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$259,700±$54kHighest 12% below ME |
| Palermo and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,235±$1kHighest 8% above ME |
| Palermo and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,506 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 21% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Palermo and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #27 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None 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.