Compare towns
Dexter vs Mapleton vs Union vs Dexter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dexter has the most renters (49.7% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Dexter | Mapleton | Union | Dexter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,852Lowest |
1,884 |
2,663 |
3,822Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±7.8Highest 14% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
51±6.8 14% above ME |
| Dexter and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Union and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,654±$25k 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
$51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $138,200±$50kLowest 53% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$267,600±$42kHighest 10% below ME |
$170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $827±$117 27% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
$838±$119 26% below ME |
| Union and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,962 35% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$2,186 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±23.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2% ME: 10.7% |
23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
| Union 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 | — | — | #113 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | MSAD 46 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None 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 | 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.