Compare towns
Exeter vs Orono vs Lee
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).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
11,902Highest |
925Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lee 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% ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
— |
| Orono 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 |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Orono 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% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lee and Orono 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 | — | #26 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 26 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| High school in town | — | Orono High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.