Compare towns
Buckfield vs Gray vs Sumner
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 most kids (25.7% under 18).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k 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 | Gray | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,403 |
8,429Highest |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860 6% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| 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.