Compare towns
Durham vs Exeter vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Durham | Exeter | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,093Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Exeter and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Durham 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Exeter and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Sidney 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | RSU 18 |
| 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.