Compare towns
Sullivan vs Exeter vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the most kids (18% under 18).
Exeter has the highest household income ($84k).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Sullivan | Exeter | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,246 |
1,093Lowest |
1,628Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±15 5% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
46±9.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Exeter and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sullivan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Exeter and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
| Franklin and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Exeter and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,228 27% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,231Highest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±23.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Franklin and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 7% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Sullivan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 24 | — | — |
| High school in town | Sumner Memorial High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5 |
— | — |
| 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.