Compare towns
Dixfield vs Somerville vs Carthage
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dixfield has the oldest population (median age 49.9).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Carthage has the most people working from home (10%).
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 | Dixfield | Somerville | Carthage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,300Highest |
837Lowest |
845 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.9±4.4Highest 11% above ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
42.8±10.9 4% below ME |
| Dixfield and Carthage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
10.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.6% ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Dixfield and Carthage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,613±$9kLowest 6% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$79,107±$18kHighest 6% above ME |
| Carthage and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $160,900±$24k 46% below ME |
$218,100±$41kHighest 26% below ME |
$144,300±$41kLowest 51% below ME |
| Somerville and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $658±$287Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$811±$262 29% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,324 23% below ME |
$2,505Highest 17% below ME |
$1,239Lowest 59% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±20.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±88Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14% ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10%±7.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Carthage and Dixfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 56 | RSU 12 | — |
| High school in town | Dirigo High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.