Compare towns
Dexter vs Lee 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 highest household income ($52k).
Lee has the most homeowners (97%).
Rumford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).
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 | Dexter | Lee | Rumford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,822 |
925Lowest |
5,942Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51±6.8 14% above ME |
51.5±11.5Highest 15% above ME |
50.4±3.4Lowest 13% above ME |
| Lee and Dexter 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% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee 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% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rumford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Lee 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±$18kHighest 31% below ME |
$49,886±$5k 33% below ME |
$38,403±$6kLowest 49% below ME |
| Dexter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$174,500±$25kHighest 41% below ME |
$127,700±$21kLowest 57% below ME |
| Lee 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 |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$1,988 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
59.1%±11.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Dexter 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% |
19.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
63.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1947Lowest 30 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter and Lee 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 30/MSAD 30 | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | None in town | 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.