What stands out worked out from the figures below

Buckfield has the most expensive homes ($228k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Buckfield	Sumner
People
Population	2,403Highest	845Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME	56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME
	Sumner and Buckfield 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%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Buckfield and Sumner 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%	29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.5%Highest ME: 36.2%	15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%	1.4%±1.4Lowest 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	$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME
	Buckfield and Sumner 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	$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME
	Buckfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$521±$33 54% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,860Highest 6% below ME	$2,167Lowest 29% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4%	100%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Sumner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8% ME: 10.7%	5.8% ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	91.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME	1977Lowest same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 25% above ME	42 minHighest 72% above ME
Work from home	15.6%±12.5Lowest 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
School district	RSU 10	RSU 10
High school in town	Buckfield Jr-Sr High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.