Compare towns
Sumner vs Wells vs Garland
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 affordable homes ($150k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Garland has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Wells | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 845 |
11,713Highest |
823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
53.5±4.3Lowest 19% above ME |
| Sumner and Wells 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% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±5.2 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Sumner 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% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$51,094±$12kLowest 32% below ME |
| Wells 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$205,400±$38k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$794±$248Lowest 30% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,167 29% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
$1,536Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.7%±46.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Garland 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
19.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 72% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 10 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.