Compare towns
Exeter vs Mount Desert vs Sumner vs Stetson
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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Stetson has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Mount Desert | Sumner | Stetson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,671Highest |
845Lowest |
1,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below ME |
| Sumner and Mount Desert 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% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson 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% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Mount Desert 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
19.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$76,023±$28k about the ME average |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$205,700±$34k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Exeter 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 |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,962 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Stetson 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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.