Compare towns
Exeter vs Appleton vs Stetson vs St. Agatha
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Stetson has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
St. Agatha has the shortest commute (23 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 | Exeter | Appleton | Stetson | St. Agatha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,360Highest |
1,151 |
842Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below ME |
55.3±8.6Highest 23% above ME |
| St. Agatha and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.3%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| St. Agatha and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$76,023±$28k about the ME average |
$75,417±$34k about the ME average |
| Exeter and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$235,600±$33kHighest 21% below ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
$187,500±$47k 37% below ME |
| Appleton and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$800±$377 30% below ME |
$435±$176Lowest 62% below ME |
| Appleton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
$1,617 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±44.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | RSU 33/MSAD 33 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Wisdom Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.1 |
| 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.