Compare towns
Exeter vs Buckfield vs Lee 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).
Buckfield has the most expensive homes ($228k median).
Lee has the most homeowners (97%).
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 | Buckfield | Lee | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
2,403Highest |
925 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
51.5±11.5 15% 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% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Lee 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% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee 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 |
$77,917±$41k 4% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Exeter and Buckfield 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 |
$227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$2,860Highest 6% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.9% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
31 minLowest 25% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.2 |
— | — |
| 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.