Compare towns
Carmel vs Exeter vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Carmel | Exeter | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,093 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Exeter and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— |
| Carmel and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Exeter 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.