Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Newry
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).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Newry has the most expensive homes ($308k median).
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 | Lee | Newry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093Highest |
925 |
177Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
51.5±11.5Lowest 15% above ME |
61.1±5Highest 36% above ME |
| Newry 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% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±12.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Newry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
42.4%±14.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Newry and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee 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 |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$67,000±$23k 10% below ME |
| Exeter and Newry 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 |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$307,700±$69kHighest 4% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— | $1,125±$666Highest about the ME average |
| Newry and Exeter 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 |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,438Highest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Exeter 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% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Newry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — |
| 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.