Compare towns
Sumner vs Brownfield vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Brownfield has the most expensive homes ($288k median).
Hartford has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Sumner | Brownfield | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,830Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
39.9±6.8Lowest 11% below ME |
42.2±6.5 6% below ME |
| Sumner and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Brownfield and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Sumner and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$60,889±$5k 19% below ME |
$87,115±$40kHighest 17% above ME |
| Hartford and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME |
$189,200±$44k 36% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,617±$554 42% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,976 about the ME average |
$3,024Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
61.8%±43.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 min 72% above ME |
44 minHighest 80% above ME |
41 minLowest 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±4.5 ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.