Compare towns
Exeter vs Madison vs Starks
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).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Madison | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
4,782Highest |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
| Exeter and Madison 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% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Starks and Madison 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% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison 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 |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Madison and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks 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 |
$1,983Highest 35% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Exeter 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% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
33 min 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | — |
| High school in town | — | Madison Jr/Sr High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.