Compare towns
Newport vs Exeter vs Palmyra
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newport has the most people working from home (14.7%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
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 | Newport | Exeter | Palmyra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,143Highest |
1,093Lowest |
2,209 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±3.2 12% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
| Exeter and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Newport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,365±$13kLowest 19% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
| Exeter and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,800±$30kHighest 21% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
| Newport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$104 22% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
| Exeter and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,018Highest about the ME average |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,614 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.2 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.7%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Newport 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 | #97 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 19 | — | — |
| High school in town | Nokomis Regional High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 7 photos → | 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.