Compare towns
Mapleton vs Strong vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
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 | Strong | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,249 |
1,093Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
| Exeter and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
| Mapleton and Strong 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
| Exeter and Strong 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 |
$1,950Highest 36% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Exeter and Strong 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.