Compare towns
Bingham vs Exeter vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bingham has the most affordable homes ($103k median).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Bingham | Exeter | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 660Lowest |
1,093Highest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±8.2 25% above ME |
52.6±7.7Lowest 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bingham and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,708±$22kLowest 43% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Exeter and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $103,000±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$166,700±$39kHighest 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Exeter and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $354±$264Lowest 69% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— |
| Exeter and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,059Lowest 65% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±45.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Bingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 83/MSAD 13 | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Upper Kennebec Valley Middle/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3 |
— | — |
| 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.