Compare towns
Dexter vs Strong 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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Ripley has the highest household income ($65k).
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 | Strong | Ripley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,822Highest |
1,249 |
436Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
47.7±5.3 6% above ME |
| Dexter and Ripley 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% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Ripley 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong 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% |
26.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ripley 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±$18k 31% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$64,821±$13kHighest 13% below ME |
| Ripley 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 |
$183,900±$29kHighest 38% below ME |
$144,300±$33kLowest 51% below ME |
| Strong and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,091±$281Highest 4% below ME |
| Ripley and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±73.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Strong 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 1 yr older than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| High school in town | Dexter Regional High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
— | — |
| 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.