Compare towns
Anson vs Dexter vs Lagrange vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Anson has the highest household income ($88k).
Dexter has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Lagrange has the most homeowners (72.5%).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Anson | Dexter | Lagrange | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 680Lowest |
3,822 |
709 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.6% ME: +2.6% |
-2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.3±15.2Lowest 3% below ME |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
45.9±13.8 about the ME average |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
| Dexter and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.2%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
24.7%±11.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Anson and Lagrange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 8.2%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±6.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 5.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
16.9% ME: 36.2% |
9% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,770±$61kHighest 17% above ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$58,417±$14k 22% below ME |
$61,747±$11k 17% below ME |
| Anson and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $100,400±$28kLowest 66% below ME |
$170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$126,000±$33k 58% below ME |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
| Madison and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$247Highest 20% below ME |
$838±$119 26% below ME |
$831±$151Lowest 27% below ME |
$906±$247 20% below ME |
| Anson and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,207 60% below ME |
$2,186Highest 28% below ME |
$869Lowest 71% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±37.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±56.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lagrange and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
18.4% ME: 10.7% |
15% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.7% ME: 74.3% |
66.3% ME: 74.3% |
72.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 27 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1964 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 0%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
8.1%±4.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Dexter 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 | — | #113 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | MSAD 46 | — | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | — | Dexter Regional High School | — | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3Highest |
— | 10.0Lowest |
| 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.