Compare towns
Exeter vs Liberty vs Mapleton vs Garland
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).
Liberty has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Garland has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Liberty | Mapleton | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
969 |
1,884Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
53.5±4.3Highest 19% above ME |
| Garland 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% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$229,600±$31kHighest 23% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$205,400±$38k 31% below ME |
| Liberty and Garland 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 |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$794±$248 30% below ME |
| Exeter and Garland 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 |
$2,434Highest 20% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Garland and Liberty 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% |
14.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.