Compare towns
Fairfield vs Sumner vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most renters (21.4% rent).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Oxford has the most expensive homes ($194k 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 | Fairfield | Sumner | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,519Highest |
845Lowest |
4,333 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±4 4% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
40.5±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Oxford 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% |
19%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Fairfield and Oxford 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 |
$58,571±$24k 22% below ME |
| Fairfield and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,300±$28k 45% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$194,200±$8kHighest 35% below ME |
| Oxford and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,001±$101Highest 12% below ME |
— | $977±$506Lowest 14% below ME |
| Fairfield and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,217Highest 27% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±12.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±23.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.6%±4.1Lowest 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 | — | #127 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | RSU 10 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
— | — |
| 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.