Compare towns
Dummer vs Acton vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
Acton has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Columbia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Dummer | Acton | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
2,721Highest |
683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
52.9±4.2 36% above U.S. |
51.8±10.1Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±8.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Columbia and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Columbia and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$78,750±$15k about the U.S. average |
$57,917±$13kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Dummer and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51k 27% below U.S. |
$334,300±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$196,400±$29kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $792±$333 44% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898Highest 7% below U.S. |
$2,680 14% below U.S. |
$2,009Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
9.1%±95.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acton and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Acton and Columbia 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 | — | #43 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Acton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.