Compare towns
Dexter vs Milbridge vs Norway
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 affordable homes ($171k median).
Milbridge has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Norway has the youngest population (median age 49.5).
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 | Milbridge | Norway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,822 |
1,222Lowest |
5,228Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
50.3±6.2 12% above ME |
49.5±4.9Lowest 10% above ME |
| Dexter and Milbridge 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% |
22.5%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±4.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Milbridge and Norway 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% |
30.2%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.1%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Milbridge and Norway 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% |
24.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Norway and Dexter 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 |
$60,536±$16kHighest 19% below ME |
$54,342±$17k 27% below ME |
| Milbridge and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,600±$52kLowest 42% below ME |
$240,400±$31kHighest 19% below ME |
$215,800±$29k 27% below ME |
| Milbridge and Norway 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 |
$619±$186Lowest 46% below ME |
$770±$66 32% below ME |
| Dexter and Norway 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 |
$2,022Lowest 33% below ME |
$2,057 32% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.8%±22.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.7%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Norway 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% |
18.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 26% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Milbridge and Norway 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 | — | #79 of 133 in ME |
| School district | MSAD 46 | RSU 37/MSAD 37 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 · Oxford-Region 11 |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | None in town | Oxford Hills Comprehensive H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.