Compare towns
Buckfield vs Wayne vs Brownfield 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 youngest population (median age 37.7).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Brownfield has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | Wayne | Brownfield | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,403Highest |
1,101 |
1,830 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% 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%±7.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Buckfield 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% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.3% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$287,500±$36k 3% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
— |
| Brownfield and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,976 about the ME average |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Brownfield 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 25% above ME |
30 minLowest 24% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 38 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | None in town | 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 | 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.