Compare towns
Porter vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Porter has the most expensive homes ($226k median).
Sumner has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
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 | Porter | Sumner |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,746Highest |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sumner and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Porter and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,417±$9kHighest 19% below ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
| Porter and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,100±$20kHighest 24% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| Porter and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±8.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 30% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Porter 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 |
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.

