Compare towns
Exeter vs Sumner vs Waldoboro
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%).
Waldoboro has the most expensive homes ($275k median).
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 | Waldoboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
845Lowest |
5,253Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
50.1±4.6Lowest 12% 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%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Waldoboro 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% |
22.6%±5.1Lowest 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% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Sumner 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±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$69,107±$8k 8% below ME |
| Exeter and Waldoboro 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 |
$274,900±$39kHighest 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— | $348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,861Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20%±15.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter 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% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
25 minLowest 3% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #55 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 10 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Medomak Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.