Compare towns
Buckfield vs Sumner vs Wayne 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Turner has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Wayne | Turner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,403 |
845Lowest |
1,101 |
5,891Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
47.6±4.3 6% above ME |
| Sumner and Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±6.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest 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% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Turner 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 |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$100,036±$28kHighest 34% above ME |
| Turner and Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$284,900±$50k 4% below ME |
| Wayne and Turner 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 |
— | $983±$554Highest 14% below ME |
$584±$490 49% below ME |
| Wayne and Turner 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 |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,294 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
41.9%±64.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Turner 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% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 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 |
30 min 24% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Sumner 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 38 | RSU 52/MSAD 52 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | None in town | None in town | Leavitt Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | — | 11.6Highest |
| 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.