Compare towns
Sumner vs Dexter 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%).
Dexter has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Dexter | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845Lowest |
3,822Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
51±6.8 14% above ME |
42.2±6.5Lowest 6% below ME |
| Sumner and Dexter 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% |
16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hartford 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% |
19.7%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.9% ME: 36.2% |
17.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dexter 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±$19k 23% below ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$87,115±$40kHighest 17% above ME |
| Hartford and Sumner 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 |
$170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$189,200±$44kHighest 36% below ME |
| Hartford and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $838±$119 26% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,186 28% below ME |
$3,024Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
41 min 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Dexter 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 | — | #113 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 10 | MSAD 46 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dexter Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— |
| 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.