Compare towns
Exeter vs Sumner vs Unity 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 the most people working from home (18.5%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
845Lowest |
1,858Highest |
925 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
| Sumner and Exeter 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% |
14%±3.6 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%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Lee 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% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Unity 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 |
— | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— |
| Exeter and Unity 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 |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% 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% |
44.8%±13 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
— |
| 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.