Compare towns
Levant vs Exeter vs Stetson vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Levant has the most renters (18.6% rent).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
Stetson has the most people working from home (11%).
Jefferson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
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 | Levant | Exeter | Stetson | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,069Highest |
1,093Lowest |
1,151 |
2,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.7±2.2 11% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
42.2±5.1 6% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
| Exeter and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jefferson and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,071±$22kHighest 15% above ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$76,023±$28kLowest about the ME average |
$85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
| Levant and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$27k 9% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
| Jefferson and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
$1,120±$130 about the ME average |
| Levant and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580 15% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
$2,587Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±14 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Stetson and Exeter 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 | #124 of 133 in ME | — | — | #45 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — | — | Jefferson Public Schools |
| 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.