Compare towns
Sumner vs China vs St. Agatha
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%).
China has the most expensive homes ($240k median).
St. Agatha has the shortest commute (23 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 | Sumner | China | St. Agatha |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845 |
4,526Highest |
842Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
55.3±8.6 23% above ME |
| Sumner and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| China and Sumner 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% |
21.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.3%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4% ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| China and Sumner 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 |
$96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$75,417±$34k about the ME average |
| China and St. Agatha 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 |
$240,000±$37kHighest 19% below ME |
$187,500±$47k 37% below ME |
| China and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $435±$176 62% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167 29% below ME |
$2,535Highest 17% below ME |
$1,617Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±44.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and St. Agatha are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6% ME: 10.7% |
10.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1972Lowest 5 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
30 min 21% above ME |
23 minLowest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and China 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 | — | #27 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 18 | RSU 33/MSAD 33 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wisdom Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.1 |
| 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.