Compare towns
Exeter vs Union vs Warren 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).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Warren has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Union | Warren | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,093 |
2,663 |
4,932Highest |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest 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% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren and Union 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 |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$74,616±$21k about the ME average |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Exeter and Union 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 |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Union and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$1,125±$456 about the ME average |
— |
| Union and Warren 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Warren 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% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 43% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Union 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 | — | — | #120 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None 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.