Compare towns
Exeter vs Topsham vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($223k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Topsham | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 913Lowest |
999 |
1,037Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
50.1±5.9 29% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$72,308±$60kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Walden and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$222,900±$56kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$908±$398Highest 36% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,006Highest 28% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
91.9%±28.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Waits River Union High District #36 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.