Compare towns
Exeter vs Athens vs Sumner
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).
Athens has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Athens | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093Highest |
791Lowest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-6.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
47.7±7.2Lowest 6% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Exeter 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% |
21.7%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Athens and Sumner 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% |
24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Athens 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% |
17.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Athens 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 |
$50,750±$14kLowest 32% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Exeter and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kHighest 44% below ME |
$153,100±$33k 48% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Exeter and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
— |
| Exeter and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest 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 | — | Athens Public Schools | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.