Compare towns
Exeter vs Mapleton vs Perham 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 most homeowners (93.1%).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Perham | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,884Highest |
326Lowest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53±12.9 18% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Perham 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Perham 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Perham 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.7% ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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±$12k 13% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$62,500±$22k 16% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Exeter 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 |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
| Mapleton and Exeter 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | — |
| Exeter and Mapleton 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,641 46% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | RSU 10 |
| 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.