Compare towns
Sumner vs Unity vs Exeter 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%).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hartford has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Exeter | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 845Lowest |
1,858Highest |
1,093 |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
42.2±6.5 6% below ME |
| Sumner and Exeter 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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.9%±0.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
17.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$87,115±$40kHighest 17% above ME |
| Hartford and Exeter 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$189,200±$44k 36% below ME |
| Unity and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
— |
| Exeter and Unity 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 |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,024Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
97.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
35 min 43% above ME |
41 min 68% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Unity 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 · Ecology Learning Center | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.