Compare towns
Exeter vs Phillips vs Lee 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 highest household income ($84k).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Lee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
Stetson has the youngest population (median age 42.2).
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 | Phillips | Lee | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,094 |
925Lowest |
1,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below 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%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson 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% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest 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% |
20.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Phillips 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$49,886±$5k 33% below ME |
$76,023±$28k about the ME average |
| Exeter and Stetson 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 |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$205,700±$34kHighest 31% below ME |
| Stetson and Phillips 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 |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
— | $800±$377 30% below ME |
| Exeter and Stetson 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 |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42 ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Stetson 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% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | 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.