Compare towns
Sumner vs Patten vs Buckfield
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%).
Patten has the most people working from home (28.7%).
Buckfield has the most expensive homes ($228k median).
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 | Patten | Buckfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,154 |
2,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4 25% above ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME |
| Patten and Sumner 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% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Buckfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Buckfield 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 |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$77,917±$41kHighest 4% above ME |
| Buckfield 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±$73k 49% below ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$227,700±$18kHighest 23% below ME |
| Buckfield and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$521±$33Highest 54% below ME |
| Buckfield and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167 29% below ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,860Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Patten 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±12.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 10 | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Buckfield Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.2 |
| 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.