Compare towns
Lee vs Exeter vs Sumner vs Garland
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 kids (21.8% under 18).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Garland has the shortest commute (26 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 | Exeter | Sumner | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 925 |
1,093Highest |
845 |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.5±11.5Lowest 15% above ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
53.5±4.3 19% above ME |
| Sumner and Garland 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Garland 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% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3Lowest 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% |
15% ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
16.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$51,094±$12k 32% below ME |
| Exeter 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 |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$205,400±$38kHighest 31% below ME |
| Garland and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— | $794±$248Lowest 30% below ME |
| Exeter and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,547 49% below ME |
$1,602 47% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 80%±100 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 41% above ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest 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 | — |
| High school 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.