Compare towns
Buckfield vs Exeter vs Sumner vs Brownfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buckfield has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k median).
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 | Buckfield | Exeter | Sumner | Brownfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,403Highest |
1,093 |
845Lowest |
1,830 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
39.9±6.8 11% 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 | 25.7%±7.7 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7Highest 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+ | 13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3 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+ | 26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
| Exeter and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,700±$18k 23% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
— | $1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
| Brownfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860 6% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 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 | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 25% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest 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 10 | — | RSU 10 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
— | — | — |
| 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.