Compare towns
Sumner vs Jay 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%).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Hartford has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
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 | Jay | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845Lowest |
4,657Highest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% 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% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hartford and Jay 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% |
19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay 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 |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$87,115±$40kHighest 17% above ME |
| Hartford and Jay 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 |
$168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$189,200±$44kHighest 36% below ME |
| Hartford and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $759±$141 33% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$3,024Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
41 min 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 73 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.