Compare towns
Stetson vs Gray vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stetson has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
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 | Stetson | Gray | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,151 |
8,429Highest |
1,093Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,023±$28kLowest about the ME average |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
| Gray and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
| Gray and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,962 35% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
| Work from home | 11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Stetson 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.