Compare towns
Dexter vs Chapman vs Rumford
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 people working from home (12.1%).
Chapman has the highest household income ($93k).
Rumford has the most affordable homes ($128k 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 | Dexter | Chapman | Rumford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,822 |
388Lowest |
5,942Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average |
50.4±3.4 13% above ME |
| Dexter and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Chapman and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.6%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Chapman and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Chapman and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,845±$18k 31% below ME |
$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME |
$38,403±$6kLowest 49% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$185,700±$22kHighest 37% below ME |
$127,700±$21kLowest 57% 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±$119Highest 26% below ME |
— | $803±$81Lowest 29% below ME |
| Dexter and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,186Highest 28% below ME |
$1,850Lowest 39% below ME |
$1,988 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.1%±11.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
94.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
63.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1947Lowest 30 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter and Rumford 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 | — | #126 of 133 in ME |
| School district | MSAD 46 | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | — | Mountain Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.