Compare towns
Exeter vs Carmel 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).
Carmel has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Carmel | Sumner | Dixmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
2,941Highest |
845Lowest |
1,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
46.4±4.5Lowest 4% above 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% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel 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% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter 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% |
17.2% 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% |
1.9%±1.3 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 |
$82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$75,952±$14k about the ME average |
| Exeter and Carmel 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 |
$256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$190,700±$22k 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,276±$187 12% above ME |
— | $1,348±$62Highest 18% above ME |
| Dixmont and Carmel 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 |
$2,662Highest 12% 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% |
56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.2%±70.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Carmel 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% |
13.6%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% |
87.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
35 min 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #77 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 10 | RSU 19 |
| 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.