Compare towns
Exeter vs Brooks vs Stetson
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).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Stetson has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
1,208Highest |
1,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below ME |
| Exeter and Brooks 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% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Brooks 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% |
27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks 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 |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$76,023±$28k 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 |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$205,700±$34kHighest 31% below ME |
| Stetson and Brooks 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 |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
| Brooks 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 |
$2,096Highest 31% below ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school 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.