Compare towns
Brooks 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
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Brooks | Exeter | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Highest |
1,093 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% 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 | 17.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest 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+ | 27.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kHighest 34% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Brooks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— |
| Brooks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest 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 | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.