Compare towns
Mapleton vs Dexter vs Exeter vs Castle Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Dexter has the most renters (33.7% rent).
Castle Hill has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Dexter | Exeter | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
3,822Highest |
1,093 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
51±6.8 14% above ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.9% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$54,250±$14k 27% below ME |
| Mapleton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
| Mapleton and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$838±$119 26% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Exeter and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$2,186Highest 28% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter and Mapleton 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 | — | #113 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | MSAD 46 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dexter Regional High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— | — |
| 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.