Compare towns
China vs Limerick vs Sumner vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most homeowners (91.8%).
Limerick has the highest household income ($101k).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Sidney has the most expensive homes ($336k 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 | China | Limerick | Sumner | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,526 |
3,400 |
845Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9 9% below ME |
40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Sumner and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9% ME: 36.2% |
27.5% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| China and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12k 29% above ME |
$101,172±$15kHighest 35% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Limerick and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
$269,400±$29k 9% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
— | $1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
| Limerick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$2,520 17% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Limerick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
6.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1994 17 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
38 min 53% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Limerick 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | — | RSU 10 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None 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.