Compare towns
Fairfield vs Benton vs Dover-Foxcroft
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering FairfieldFairfield
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Benton has the most homeowners (84.2%).
Dover-Foxcroft has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Fairfield | Benton | Dover-Foxcroft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,356Lowest |
2,770 |
4,506Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34.2±7.7Lowest 24% below ME |
42.8±6Highest 4% below ME |
38±4.1 15% below ME |
| Benton and Dover-Foxcroft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Dover-Foxcroft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Dover-Foxcroft and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
28.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,409±$23kLowest 30% below ME |
$61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$63,344±$6kHighest 15% below ME |
| Dover-Foxcroft and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
$176,700±$23kHighest 40% below ME |
$162,600±$12k 45% below ME |
| Benton and Dover-Foxcroft are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,013±$142 11% below ME |
$1,110±$123Highest about the ME average |
$880±$97Lowest 23% below ME |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,119Highest 30% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$1,916 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 25% below ME |
20 minHighest 21% below ME |
15 minLowest 40% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Dover-Foxcroft and Fairfield 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 | #47 of 133 in ME | #85 of 133 in ME | #89 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 68/MSAD 68 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.