Compare towns
Dexter vs Madison vs Millinocket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dexter has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.4%).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k 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 | Madison | Millinocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,822Lowest |
4,782Highest |
4,115 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51±6.8 14% above ME |
49.6±3.4Lowest 11% above ME |
54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME |
| Millinocket and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Dexter and Millinocket 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% |
25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Madison 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% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Millinocket 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 |
$61,747±$11kHighest 17% below ME |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
| Madison and Dexter 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 |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
| Madison and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$119 26% below ME |
$906±$247Highest 20% below ME |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
| Madison and Dexter 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 |
$1,983 35% below ME |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 23.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
1964 13 yrs older than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME |
| School district | MSAD 46 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | Millinocket Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | Madison Jr/Sr High School | Stearns Jr-Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
10.0Lowest |
11.6 |
| 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.