Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Exeter vs Bath vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($277k median).
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 | Phippsburg | Exeter | Bath | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,238Lowest |
16,151Highest |
8,815 |
2,518 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3 40% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
56.3±6.4Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Phippsburg and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19k 34% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$72,285±$5k 10% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$276,800±$51kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,171±$65 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034 35% below U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$1,869Lowest 40% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±15.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Bath 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #31 of 133 in ME | #117 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Hancock Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.