Compare towns
Exeter vs Acton vs Sumner vs St. Agatha
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Acton has the most expensive homes ($334k median).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
St. Agatha has the shortest commute (23 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 | Exeter | Acton | Sumner | St. Agatha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
2,721Highest |
845 |
842Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
-2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Lowest 17% above ME |
52.9±4.2 18% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
55.3±8.6 23% above ME |
| Sumner and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.3%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
24.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Acton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$78,750±$15k 5% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$75,417±$34k about the ME average |
| Exeter and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$334,300±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$187,500±$47k 37% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— | — | $435±$176Lowest 62% below ME |
| Exeter and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,680Highest 12% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,617 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±44.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
40 min 64% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±8.5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Acton 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 | — | #43 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Acton Public Schools | RSU 10 | RSU 33/MSAD 33 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Wisdom Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.1 |
| 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.