Compare towns
Bradley vs Exeter vs Sumner vs Old Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bradley has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Old Town has the most renters (40.7% rent).
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 | Bradley | Exeter | Sumner | Old Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,645 |
1,093 |
845Lowest |
7,470Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±9.7 5% below ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
37±1.5Lowest 17% below ME |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
36.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,667±$28k about the ME average |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$51,585±$10kLowest 31% below ME |
| Exeter and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,800±$37k 32% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$208,100±$26kHighest 30% below ME |
| Old Town and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$325Highest 4% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
— | $989±$100Lowest 13% below ME |
| Bradley and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,946 36% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$3,153Highest 4% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±22.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Old Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
21.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
59.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1963Lowest 14 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
20 minLowest 18% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Old Town and Sumner 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 | — | — | — | #56 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 34 | — | RSU 10 | RSU 34 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Old Town High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.