Compare towns
Exeter vs Eliot 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 affordable homes ($167k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Garland has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Eliot | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
7,146Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% 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% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Garland and Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Eliot 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 |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$205,400±$38k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$794±$248Lowest 30% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| 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.