Compare towns
Chesterville vs Exeter vs Sumner vs Brownfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterville has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k median).
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 | Chesterville | Exeter | Sumner | Brownfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,397 |
1,093 |
845Lowest |
1,830Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
39.9±6.8 11% below ME |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3 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+ | 20.4% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,635±$10k 18% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
| Brownfield and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— | $1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME |
| Brownfield and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,194 28% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,976Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7 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 | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 min 72% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 10 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.