Compare towns
Durham vs Exeter vs Sumner vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Durham | Exeter | Sumner | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,093 |
845Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Durham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
— | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Sumner 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | RSU 10 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.