Compare towns
Exeter vs Beals vs Sumner vs Lee
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).
Beals has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Beals | Sumner | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093Highest |
498Lowest |
845 |
925 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8% ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% 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% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee 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% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Lee 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 |
$64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Exeter and Beals 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 |
$256,700±$45kHighest 13% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
— | — |
| Exeter and Beals 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 |
$2,580Highest 15% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
10.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 17% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Beals Public Schools | RSU 10 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| 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.