Compare towns
Exeter vs Dixfield vs Garland
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 people working from home (10.3%).
Dixfield has the youngest population (median age 49.9).
Garland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.1%).
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 | Dixfield | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
2,300Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-11.6% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
49.9±4.4Lowest 11% above ME |
53.5±4.3Highest 19% above ME |
| Garland 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% |
16.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Garland and Dixfield 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% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Garland 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% |
25.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Dixfield 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 |
$70,613±$9k 6% below ME |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Exeter and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$160,900±$24kLowest 46% below ME |
$205,400±$38kHighest 31% below ME |
| Garland and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$658±$287Lowest 42% below ME |
$794±$248 30% below ME |
| Exeter and Garland 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 |
$2,324Highest 23% below ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48%±20.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Dixfield and Garland 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% |
14% ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 56 | — |
| High school in town | — | Dirigo High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.