Compare towns
Lagrange vs Exeter vs Abbot vs Alton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lagrange has the most kids (24.7% under 18).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Abbot has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-6.9%).
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 | Lagrange | Exeter | Abbot | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 709 |
1,093Highest |
584Lowest |
819 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-9% ME: +2.6% |
-6.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±13.8Lowest about the ME average |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
48.6±3.5 8% above ME |
49.1±5.9 10% above ME |
| Exeter and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.7%±11.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Lagrange and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±6.9 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
13.2% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,417±$14kLowest 22% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$58,542±$24k 22% below ME |
$62,955±$9k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $126,000±$33kLowest 58% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$171,200±$36k 42% below ME |
$179,500±$25kHighest 39% below ME |
| Alton and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,111±$73Highest about the ME average |
$866±$48 24% below ME |
| Abbot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $869Lowest 71% below ME |
$1,602Highest 47% below ME |
$1,393 54% below ME |
$1,476 51% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±56.2 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
6.7%±41.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
76.3%±88.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alton and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
24.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3% ME: 74.3% |
83.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 45% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±17.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±7.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Abbot and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | — | RSU 34 |
| High school 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.