Compare towns
Limestone vs Sumner vs Fort Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Fort Fairfield has the highest household income ($71k).
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 | Limestone | Sumner | Fort Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579 |
845Lowest |
3,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.9Lowest about the ME average |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
49.7±6.6 11% above ME |
| Sumner and Fort Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.5%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Limestone and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Fort Fairfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$70,852±$16kHighest 5% below ME |
| Fort Fairfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$150,000±$73k 49% below ME |
$161,000±$27kHighest 46% below ME |
| Fort Fairfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
— | $945±$738Highest 17% below ME |
| Fort Fairfield and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
$1,838 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±12.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
73.6%±77.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Fort Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #72 of 133 in ME |
| School district | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 10 | RSU 86/MSAD 20 |
| High school in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town | Fort Fairfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.2Highest |
| 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.