Compare towns
Sumner vs Strong 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%).
Strong has the shortest commute (31 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 | Strong | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,249 |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
42.2±6.5Lowest 6% below ME |
| Sumner and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hartford and Strong 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%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Strong 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% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
17.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Strong 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% 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 |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$189,200±$44kHighest 36% below ME |
| Hartford and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $920±$276 19% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167 29% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,024Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
31 minLowest 26% above ME |
41 min 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 10 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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.