Compare towns

Sumner vs Monroe 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 the most people working from home (18.5%).
Monroe has the shortest commute (32 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.

MeasureSumnerMonroeHartford
People
Population
845Lowest
1,001
1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.9%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+4.6%
ME: +2.6%
+1.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
56.1±8.4Highest
25% above ME
43.5±7
about the ME average
42.2±6.5Lowest
6% below ME
Sumner and Monroe 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%
23.7%±5.1Highest
ME: 18.1%
23.4%±5.6
ME: 18.1%
Monroe 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%
22.6%±4.5
ME: 22.4%
17.9%±0.7Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Sumner and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
15.4%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
29.1%Highest
ME: 36.2%
17.9%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.4%±1.4
ME: 5.8%
5.3%±4.9Highest
ME: 5.8%
1.1%±1.3Lowest
ME: 5.8%
Monroe 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
$81,300±$7k
9% above ME
$87,115±$40kHighest
17% above ME
Hartford and Monroe 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
$220,300±$57kHighest
26% below ME
$189,200±$44k
36% below ME
Monroe and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,165±$152
about the ME average
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,167Lowest
29% below ME
$2,207
27% below ME
$3,024Highest
about the ME average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
50.9%±47.8Lowest
ME: 48.4%
100%±100Highest
ME: 48.4%
Below poverty line
5.8%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
11.3%Highest
ME: 10.7%
7.4%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.1%
ME: 74.3%
87.4%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
97.6%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
same as ME
1992Highest
15 yrs newer than ME
1990
13 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
42 minHighest
72% above ME
32 minLowest
28% above ME
41 min
68% above ME
Work from home
18.5%±8Highest
ME: 15.9%
11.8%±4.4
ME: 15.9%
5.2%±3.2Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Sumner and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district RSU 10 RSU 03/MSAD 03 —
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.