Compare towns
Dexter vs Mapleton vs Washburn vs Limestone
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).
Limestone has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Washburn | Limestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,852 |
1,884Highest |
1,355Lowest |
1,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9.5% ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±7.8Highest 14% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
| Dexter and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn 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% |
24%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Washburn and Limestone 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Mapleton 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 |
$56,196±$6k 25% below ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $138,200±$50k 53% below ME |
$191,800±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$112,900±$14k 62% below ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
| Mapleton and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $827±$117Highest 27% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
$754±$233 34% below ME |
| Dexter and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,962Highest 35% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,571 48% below ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±23.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.7% ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Limestone and Mapleton 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Washburn District High School | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.0Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.