Compare towns
Buckfield vs Unity 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).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
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 | Unity | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,403Highest |
1,858 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1 16% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Buckfield and Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Buckfield and Unity 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 |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,860Highest 6% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%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 |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.