Compare towns
Brooklin vs Exeter vs Sumner vs Beals
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklin has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Beals has the shortest commute (21 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 | Brooklin | Exeter | Sumner | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 869 |
1,093Highest |
845 |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
| Exeter and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
— | $907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
| Brooklin and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,792 41% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | — | RSU 10 | Beals Public Schools |
| 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 | 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.