Compare towns
Stetson vs Strong 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Strong | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,151 |
1,249Highest |
1,093Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
| Exeter and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter and Strong 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% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,023±$28k about the ME average |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
| Exeter and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,700±$34kHighest 31% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
| Stetson and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
| Exeter and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,962Highest 35% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
31 minLowest 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
| Work from home | 11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school 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.