What stands out worked out from the figures below

Turner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).

Buckfield has the most kids (25.7% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Turner	Buckfield
People
Population	5,891Highest	2,403Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Highest ME: +2.6%	-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	47.6±4.3Highest 6% above ME	37.7±10.1Lowest 16% below ME
	Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.1%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	25.7%±7.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Buckfield and Turner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.2%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4%	13.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	26.5%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,036±$28kHighest 34% above ME	$77,917±$41kLowest 4% above ME
	Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$284,900±$50kHighest 4% below ME	$227,700±$18kLowest 23% below ME
	Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$584±$490Highest 49% below ME	$521±$33Lowest 54% below ME
	Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,294Lowest 24% below ME	$2,860Highest 6% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.9%±64.5Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±55Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Turner and Buckfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3%Lowest ME: 10.7%	5.8%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	94.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	31 minHighest 25% above ME
Work from home	10.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Buckfield and Turner 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	#33 of 133 in ME	—
School district	RSU 52/MSAD 52	RSU 10
High school in town	Leavitt Area High School	Buckfield Jr-Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Highest	10.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	12 photos →	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.