Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Sutton vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Alfred has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Bowdoin | Sutton | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
9,452Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.9±5.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Alfred and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alfred and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$82,321±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$342,300±$38k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,190±$401Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,035±$432Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$3,543 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
82.2%±29.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alfred and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #105 of 282 in MA | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Sutton | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.