Compare towns
West Paris vs Strong vs Sumner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Paris has the most people working from home (23.8%).
Strong has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Sumner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | West Paris | Strong | Sumner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,808Highest |
1,249 |
845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±7.9Lowest about the ME average |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
| Sumner and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West Paris and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,324±$5k 25% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$57,750±$19kHighest 23% below ME |
| Sumner and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,000±$20kHighest 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
| West Paris and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$333Lowest 26% below ME |
$920±$276Highest 19% below ME |
— |
| Strong and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,083 31% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,167Highest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±34.6 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and West Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 32% above ME |
31 minLowest 26% above ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.8%±18.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| West Paris and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | None 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.