Compare towns
Whiting vs Sumner vs Sweden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering WhitingCutler
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Sumner has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Sweden has the most expensive homes ($311k median).
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 | Whiting | Sumner | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 506Lowest |
845Highest |
537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.9% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 50±5Lowest 12% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
51.1±19.2 14% above ME |
| Sumner and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sweden and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±6.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Whiting and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,263±$2kLowest 26% below ME |
$57,750±$19k 23% below ME |
$73,750±$25kHighest about the ME average |
| Sweden and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$311,300±$61kHighest 5% above ME |
| Sweden and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $600±$333Lowest 47% below ME |
— | $1,667±$815Highest 46% above ME |
| Sweden and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,728Lowest 43% below ME |
$2,167 29% below ME |
$2,598Highest 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
8.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 10% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
31 min 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 5.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.5%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Sumner and Sweden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Whiting Public Schools | RSU 10 | — |
| 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.