Compare towns
Exeter vs Mapleton vs Readfield vs Stetson
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).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Stetson has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Readfield | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
1,884 |
2,651Highest |
1,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
42.2±5.1 6% below ME |
| Exeter and Readfield 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Readfield 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$76,023±$28kLowest about the ME average |
| Mapleton and Readfield 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$800±$377 30% below ME |
| Readfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Stetson 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.