Compare towns
Exeter vs Brooks vs Lee
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 highest household income ($84k).
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Lee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
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 | Brooks | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,208Highest |
925Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Exeter and Lee 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% |
17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Brooks 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% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest 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+ | 15% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Lee 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 |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Brooks and Lee 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 |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Brooks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Exeter 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% |
19.1% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| 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.