What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dixfield has the most expensive homes ($161k median).

Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dixfield	Millinocket
People
Population	2,300Lowest	4,115Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-8.7%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.9±4.4Lowest 11% above ME	54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME
	Millinocket and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1%	16.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Dixfield and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4%	36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.6%Highest ME: 36.2%	18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8%	4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Millinocket and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,613±$9kHighest 6% below ME	$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$160,900±$24kHighest 46% below ME	$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$658±$287Highest 42% below ME	$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME
	Dixfield and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,324Highest 23% below ME	$1,580Lowest 48% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48%±20.3Highest ME: 48.4%	20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Dixfield and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14%Lowest ME: 10.7%	17.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME	1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	24 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	5%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	6.6%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9%
	Millinocket and Dixfield 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	—	#98 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 56	Millinocket Public Schools
High school in town	Dirigo High School	Stearns Jr-Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	11.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.