Compare towns
Exeter vs Mars Hill 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 people working from home (10.3%).
Mars Hill has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Garland has the most expensive homes ($205k 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 | Mars Hill | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,398Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.9% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
43.4±3Lowest 3% 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% |
22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Garland 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%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mars Hill 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% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill 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 |
$65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Exeter and Mars Hill 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 |
$163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$205,400±$38kHighest 31% below ME |
| Garland and Exeter 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 |
$488±$96Lowest 57% 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 |
$1,843Highest 39% below ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
30.6%±7.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Garland 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% |
9.6% ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Exeter and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — |
| High school in town | — | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0 |
— |
| 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.