Compare towns
Dexter vs Exeter vs Lee vs Limestone
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dexter has the most renters (49.7% rent).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Lee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k 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.
| Measure | Dexter | Exeter | Lee | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,852Highest |
1,093 |
925Lowest |
1,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±7.8 14% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
45.3±4.9Lowest about the ME average |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Lee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,654±$25k 28% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$49,938±$8k 33% below ME |
| Exeter and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $138,200±$50k 53% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$174,500±$25kHighest 41% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
| Lee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $827±$117 27% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— | $754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
| Exeter and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,962Highest 35% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$1,547 49% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±23.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Lee 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 | #113 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | — | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.6 |
| 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.