Compare towns
Dexter vs Limestone vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dexter has the most renters (49.7% rent).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
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 | Dexter | Limestone | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,852Highest |
1,579 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±7.8 14% above ME |
45.3±4.9Lowest about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.3% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,654±$25k 28% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$57,750±$19kHighest 23% below ME |
| Sumner and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $138,200±$50k 53% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$150,000±$73kHighest 49% below ME |
| Sumner and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $827±$117Highest 27% below ME |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
— |
| Dexter and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,962 35% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±23.7 ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Limestone 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 | #113 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.