Compare towns
Exeter vs Durham
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).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Exeter | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
4,262Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
| Exeter and Durham 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% |
19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Durham 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% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest 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 | $84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% 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 | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest 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 | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1986Lowest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Exeter 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 |
| School district | — | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.