Compare towns
Knox vs Sumner vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the highest household income ($65k).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Columbia has the most kids (24.2% under 18).
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 | Knox | Sumner | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 825 |
845Highest |
529Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
41.9±6.4 6% below ME |
| Sumner and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Columbia and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Columbia and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9kHighest 13% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$56,667±$15kLowest 24% below ME |
| Knox and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kHighest 46% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$158,700±$19k 46% below ME |
| Knox and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
— | $894±$162Lowest 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610 47% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,226Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9%±5.4Lowest 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.