Compare towns
Dexter vs Mapleton vs Penobscot vs Ripley
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 (33.7% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Penobscot has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Ripley has the most affordable homes ($144k 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 | Mapleton | Penobscot | Ripley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,822Highest |
1,884 |
1,154 |
436Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 51±6.8 14% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
47.7±5.3 6% above ME |
| Penobscot 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
19.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Ripley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,845±$18kLowest 31% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$64,821±$13k 13% below ME |
| Mapleton and Ripley 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$144,300±$33kLowest 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$119 26% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$1,091±$281 4% below ME |
| Penobscot and Ripley 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,852 39% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±73.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | MSAD 46 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Penobscot Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.