Compare towns
Buckfield vs Solon 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).
Solon has the most renters (11.4% rent).
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 | Buckfield | Solon | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,403Highest |
963 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
45.9±5.4 about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Solon 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% |
17.2%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Solon 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Solon 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% |
25% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest 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 | $77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Buckfield and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME |
$183,600±$12k 38% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$915±$100Highest 20% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860Highest 6% below ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Solon 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% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 25% above ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest 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 10 | RSU 74/MSAD 74 | RSU 10 |
| 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 |
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.