Compare towns
Exeter vs Dexter vs Sumner vs St. Agatha
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).
Dexter has the most renters (33.7% rent).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
St. Agatha has the most expensive homes ($188k median).
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 | Dexter | Sumner | St. Agatha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
3,822Highest |
845 |
842Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
51±6.8Lowest 14% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
55.3±8.6 23% above ME |
| Sumner and St. Agatha 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% |
16.2%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and St. Agatha 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% |
19.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.3%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and St. Agatha 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% |
16.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Dexter 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 |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$75,417±$34k about the ME average |
| Exeter and St. Agatha 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 |
$170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$187,500±$47kHighest 37% below ME |
| St. Agatha and Dexter 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 |
$838±$119 26% below ME |
— | $435±$176Lowest 62% below ME |
| Exeter and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,186Highest 28% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,617 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±44.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Dexter 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% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Dexter 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 | — | #113 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | MSAD 46 | RSU 10 | RSU 33/MSAD 33 |
| High school in town | — | Dexter Regional High School | None in town | Wisdom Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3Highest |
— | 10.1Lowest |
| 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.