Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Madison 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).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
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 | Lee | Madison | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
925 |
4,782Highest |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
49.6±3.4Lowest 11% 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% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 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% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Madison 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% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Madison 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 |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Madison and Lee 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 |
— | $906±$247Lowest 20% below ME |
— |
| Exeter and Madison 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 |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest 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% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.