Compare towns
Readfield vs Exeter vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Belgrade has the most kids (22.6% 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 | Readfield | Exeter | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651Lowest |
16,151Highest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6 22% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392 9% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.