Compare towns
Exeter vs Smithfield 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 most homeowners (93.1%).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Smithfield | Sumner | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093Highest |
856 |
845 |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Lowest 17% above ME |
55.8±3.5 25% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
53.5±4.3 19% above ME |
| Sumner and Smithfield 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% |
10%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Garland 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Smithfield 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 |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$242,800±$15kHighest 18% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$205,400±$38k 31% below ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
— | $794±$248Lowest 30% below ME |
| Smithfield 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 |
$2,866Highest 6% 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% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Garland 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% |
5.8%Lowest 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% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 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 |
33 min 32% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | RSU 10 | — |
| High school 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.