Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Sidney
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 homeowners (97%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Lee | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
925Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below 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%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Lee 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Exeter and Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 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%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney 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 | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.