Compare towns
Dexter vs Wayne 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).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Ripley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,822Highest |
1,101 |
436Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 51±6.8 14% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
47.7±5.3Lowest 6% above ME |
| Wayne and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ripley and Dexter 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±6 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$64,821±$13k 13% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$144,300±$33kLowest 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$119Lowest 26% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,091±$281Highest 4% below ME |
| Ripley and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,186 28% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±73.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Wayne 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 38 | — |
| 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.