Compare towns
Dexter vs Mapleton vs Ripley vs Madawaska
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Ripley has the most affordable homes ($144k median).
Madawaska has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Ripley | Madawaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,822 |
1,884 |
436Lowest |
3,853Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— | -4.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51±6.8 14% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.7±5.3 6% above ME |
52.6±4.1Highest 17% above ME |
| Madawaska 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% |
16.3%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Madawaska 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% |
17.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28.8%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madawaska and Dexter 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.4% ME: 36.2% |
22.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$64,821±$13k 13% below ME |
$56,818±$9k 24% 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±$23kHighest 35% below ME |
$144,300±$33kLowest 51% below ME |
$156,300±$15k 47% 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 | $838±$119 26% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,091±$281Highest 4% below ME |
$635±$148 44% below ME |
| Ripley 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,923 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±73.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60%±31.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Madawaska 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% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
12 minLowest 53% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Dexter 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 | — | — | #83 of 133 in ME |
| School district | MSAD 46 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Madawaska Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | None in town | — | Madawaska Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | — | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.