What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fairfield	Sumner
People
Population	6,519Highest	845Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43.1±4Lowest 4% below ME	56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME
Kids under 18	19.8%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%	17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Fairfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15.4% ME: 36.2%	15.4% ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8%	1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Fairfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,101±$11kHighest 14% below ME	$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME
	Fairfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$164,300±$28kHighest 45% below ME	$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME
	Fairfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,001±$101 12% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,217Highest 27% below ME	$2,167Lowest 29% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	100%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Sumner and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	91.1%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME	1977Highest same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	42 minHighest 72% above ME
Work from home	12.1%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Sumner and Fairfield 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	#47 of 133 in ME	—
School district	RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences	RSU 10
High school in town	Lawrence High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.