Compare towns
Buckfield vs Sumner vs Unity vs Turner
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).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Turner has the highest household income ($100k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sumner | Unity | Turner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,403 |
845Lowest |
1,858 |
5,891Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1 16% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.6±4.3 6% above ME |
| Sumner and Turner 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%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±4.6 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%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Turner 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% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
16.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$100,036±$28kHighest 34% above ME |
| Turner 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$284,900±$50kHighest 4% below ME |
| Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
— | $873±$73Highest 23% below ME |
$584±$490 49% below ME |
| Unity and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860Highest 6% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,294 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
41.9%±64.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Unity 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Unity 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 | — | — | — | #33 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 10 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 52/MSAD 52 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | Leavitt Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.