Compare towns
Exeter vs Thomaston vs Sumner
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).
Thomaston has the most expensive homes ($272k median).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Thomaston | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
2,769Highest |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Lowest 17% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
56.1±8.4 25% above ME |
| Thomaston and Sumner 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% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston and Sumner 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% |
30.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Exeter and Thomaston 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 |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
| Exeter and Sumner 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 |
$271,700±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
— |
| Thomaston 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest 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 | — | #99 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 13 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.