Compare towns
Exeter vs Monroe vs Sumner vs Garland
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).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Garland has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Monroe | Sumner | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093Highest |
1,001 |
845 |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
53.5±4.3 19% above ME |
| Sumner and Garland 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% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Garland 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% |
22.6%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3 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% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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 |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Exeter and Monroe 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 |
$220,300±$57kHighest 26% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$205,400±$38k 31% below ME |
| Monroe and Garland 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 |
$1,165±$152Highest about the ME average |
— | $794±$248Lowest 30% below ME |
| Monroe 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 |
$2,207Highest 27% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Monroe 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% |
11.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
32 min 28% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | 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.