Compare towns
Exeter vs Wayne vs Bradford 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 most affordable homes ($167k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bradford has the youngest population (median age 49.7).
Lee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
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 | Wayne | Bradford | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,101 |
1,254Highest |
925Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-8.2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
49.7±8Lowest 11% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Bradford 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Lee 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$82,955±$26k 11% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Wayne 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±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$176,200±$15k 41% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$742±$392Lowest 35% below ME |
— |
| Exeter and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,315 24% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
87.5%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Bradford and Lee 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
86.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
30 minLowest 24% above ME |
39 minHighest 57% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 38 | — | 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.