Compare towns
Somerville vs Exeter vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
Waldo has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Somerville | Exeter | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 837Lowest |
1,093Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
37.5±9.6 16% below ME |
| Exeter and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
| Exeter and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Somerville and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,623 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±58.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waldo and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | — | Waldo-Region 7 |
| 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.