Compare towns
Industry vs Sumner vs New Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Industry has the most kids (24.4% under 18).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
New Sharon has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Industry | Sumner | New Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 988 |
845Lowest |
1,550Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -15.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.6±10.7Lowest 9% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
43.9±8.9 about the ME average |
| Sumner and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Industry and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±6.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.8%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| New Sharon and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,056±$19k 16% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$63,889±$21kHighest 15% below ME |
| New Sharon and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $205,600±$31kHighest 31% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$171,200±$21k 42% below ME |
| Industry and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,049±$137Highest 8% below ME |
— | $961±$55Lowest 16% below ME |
| Industry and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,793Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,889 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.9%±38.2 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61%±38Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Industry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 min 67% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.7%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | RSU 09 |
| 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.