Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Springfield vs Unity
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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($123k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Springfield | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
925 |
310Lowest |
1,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
— | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
52.4±7 17% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Exeter and Springfield 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% |
18.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Springfield 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% |
21.6%±5.4 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% |
17.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$60,833±$23k 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$122,500±$28kLowest 59% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— | — | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Exeter and Unity 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 |
$1,547 49% below ME |
$1,067Lowest 65% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
— | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Unity 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% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
96.2% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
9.6%±5.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.