The Town FilesExeter, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 963 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,700
- Household income
- $84,408
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 72 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 52.6
Exeter is a town of 963 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $166,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks quieter than 92% of Maine towns, easier by car than 87% of Maine towns, better for first-time buyers than 71% of Maine towns.
How Exeter ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Exeter is worth $166,700, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $84,408, which is more affordable than 97% of Maine towns. Median rent is $995 a month. 93.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Exeter | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,700 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $995 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $84,408 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 93.1% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.2% | — |
Who lives in Exeter
| People | Exeter | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.6 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.9% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 9.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 90.0% |
Weather in Exeter
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 6.0°F. About 44.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 71.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Exeter since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 28, 1991 about 2.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 27, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 13, 2023.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Exeter itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Towns near Exeter
- Corinth, ME5.7 mi · 2,900 people · home $135,800
- Stetson, ME6.4 mi · 1,186 people · home $205,700
- Corinna, ME6.6 mi · 2,221 people · home $163,200
- Corinna, ME7.4 mi · 729 people · home $138,000
- Garland, ME8.0 mi · 1,026 people · home $205,400
- Newport, ME8.1 mi · 3,133 people · home $234,800
- Levant, ME8.7 mi · 2,940 people · home $268,500
- Dexter, ME9.1 mi · 2,093 people · home $138,200
Exeter questions
Is Exeter, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Exeter scores better for retirees than 36% of Maine towns and quieter than 92%. 23.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.6).
How much does a house cost in Exeter?
The median owner-occupied home in Exeter is valued at $166,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,408, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $995 a month.
What is the weather like in Exeter?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 6.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.7 inches of precipitation a year and 71.5 inches of snow.
Does Exeter get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Exeter since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 28, 1991. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)