Compare towns
Exeter vs Mapleton vs Perham vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (11.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Perham | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,884Highest |
326Lowest |
925 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Perham 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Lee 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% 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±$39k 44% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | — |
| Exeter and Mapleton 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 |
$1,789Highest 41% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| 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.