Compare towns
Exeter vs Canton vs Sumner vs Dixmont
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).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.6%).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Dixmont has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Canton | Sumner | Dixmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,191 |
845Lowest |
1,207Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
41.4±7.2Lowest 8% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
50.9±4.7 14% 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% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Sumner 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% |
27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Canton 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% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
24.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Dixmont 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 |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$75,952±$14k about the ME average |
| Exeter and Dixmont 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 |
$165,000±$50k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$190,700±$22kHighest 36% below ME |
| Dixmont and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
— | $1,348±$62Highest 18% above ME |
| Dixmont and Exeter 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 |
$2,277Highest 25% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,548Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.2%±70.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Canton 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% |
8.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
35 min 42% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
35 minLowest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±11.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Dixmont and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 10 | RSU 19 |
| High school 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.