Compare towns
Exeter vs Sumner vs St. Agatha vs Lee
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).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
St. Agatha has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% 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 | Sumner | St. Agatha | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093Highest |
845 |
842Lowest |
925 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
55.3±8.6 23% above ME |
51.5±11.5Lowest 15% above ME |
| Sumner and St. Agatha 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% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
17%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest 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% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.3%±5 ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and St. Agatha 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% |
15.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee 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 |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$75,417±$34k about the ME average |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Exeter and St. Agatha 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$187,500±$47kHighest 37% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| St. Agatha 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 |
— | $435±$176Lowest 62% below ME |
— |
| Exeter and St. Agatha 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 |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,617 47% below ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±44.4 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | RSU 33/MSAD 33 | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Wisdom Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.1 |
— |
| 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.