Compare towns
Lee vs Cornish vs Sumner vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most homeowners (97%).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Athens has the shortest commute (29 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 | Lee | Cornish | Sumner | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 925 |
1,803Highest |
845 |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9% ME: +2.6% |
-6.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
47.7±7.2 6% above ME |
| Sumner and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±5 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±2.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
17.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$50,750±$14k 32% below ME |
| Cornish and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$153,100±$33k 48% below ME |
| Cornish and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
— | $538±$457Lowest 53% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,547 49% below ME |
$2,309Highest 24% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$1,355Lowest 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
100%±75.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 41% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.1%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 30/MSAD 30 | — | RSU 10 | Athens Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.