Compare towns
Starks vs Exeter vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Starks | Exeter | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,093 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Lowest 4% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
| Exeter and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Starks and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$61,747±$11kLowest 17% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
| Madison and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
| Starks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$1,983Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Starks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 33% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | — | — | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| 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.