Compare towns
Brownfield vs Buckfield vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k median).
Buckfield has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Brownfield | Buckfield | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,830 |
2,403Highest |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Buckfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Buckfield and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,976Highest about the ME average |
$2,860 6% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 80% above ME |
31 minLowest 25% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | RSU 10 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.2 |
— |
| 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.