Compare towns
Lake Arrowhead vs Sumner vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lake Arrowhead has the highest household income ($99k).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Wales has the shortest commute (28 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 | Lake Arrowhead | Sumner | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,322Highest |
845Lowest |
1,924 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 33±2.4Lowest 26% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
35.1±4.2 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
30.2%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wales and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
11%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wales and Lake Arrowhead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,654±$9kHighest 32% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$77,004±$5k 3% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$19kHighest 10% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$250,400±$28k 16% below ME |
| Lake Arrowhead and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,288±$327Highest 101% above ME |
— | $1,154±$64Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,286 25% below ME |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,578Highest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±36.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
83.3%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
25.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 min 57% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
28 minLowest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
22.2%±13.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wales and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 10 | RSU 04 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Oak Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
| 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.