Compare towns
Chapman vs Dexter vs Starks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering ChapmanMapleton
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Dexter has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k 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 | Chapman | Dexter | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 388Lowest |
3,822Highest |
556 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Dexter and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $185,700±$22kHighest 37% below ME |
$170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Chapman and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,850 39% below ME |
$2,186Highest 28% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
19.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 6% below ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter and Chapman 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Dexter Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3 |
— |
| 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.