Compare towns
Exeter vs Fairfield
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).
Fairfield has the most kids (22.8% 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 | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
2,356Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
34.2±7.7Lowest 24% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Fairfield 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 |
$52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME |
| Exeter and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kHighest 44% below ME |
$139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
| Exeter and Fairfield 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 |
$1,013±$142Highest 11% below ME |
| Fairfield 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 |
$2,119Highest 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Fairfield 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% |
16.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
18 minLowest 25% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter and Fairfield 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 | — | #47 of 133 in ME |
| 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.