Compare towns
Bradley vs Exeter vs Sumner vs Orono
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 the most people working from home (18.5%).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,645 |
1,093 |
845Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest 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 |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% 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%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bradley and Sumner 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% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest 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% |
66.8%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% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,667±$28k about the ME average |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% 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 |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
| Orono and Bradley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$325 4% below ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— | $1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
| Orono and Bradley 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 |
$4,830Highest 59% 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% |
58.1%±10.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Orono 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% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
15 minLowest 38% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Bradley 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 | — | — | — | #26 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 34 | — | RSU 10 | RSU 26 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Orono High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.