Compare towns
Alton vs Sumner vs Phillips
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alton has the highest household income ($63k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Phillips has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
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 | Alton | Sumner | Phillips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 819Lowest |
845 |
1,094Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.1±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
49.7±3.7 11% above ME |
| Sumner and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Phillips and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.2% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,955±$9kHighest 16% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
| Alton and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $179,500±$25k 39% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$190,800±$18kHighest 36% below ME |
| Phillips and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $866±$48Highest 24% below ME |
— | $483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
| Alton and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,476Lowest 51% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,582Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±88.9 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.5% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.3%±7.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 34 | RSU 10 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| High school in town | None 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.