Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Readfield
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).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
925Lowest |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
| Exeter and Lee 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Readfield 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% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lee 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% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±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±$12k 13% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
| Readfield 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 |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— | $1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield 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 |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Lee 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.