Compare towns
Freedom vs Sumner vs Knox
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Knox has the most renters (19.9% rent).
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 | Freedom | Sumner | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 670Lowest |
845Highest |
825 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
| Sumner and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Knox and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Freedom and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69kHighest 36% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$159,600±$26k 46% below ME |
| Freedom and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,375±$47 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Highest 23% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 29% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
30 minLowest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | — |
| High school 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.