Compare towns
Madison vs Abbot vs Rumford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most renters (45.4% rent).
Abbot has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Rumford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).
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 | Madison | Abbot | Rumford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,782 |
584Lowest |
5,942Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% ME: +2.6% |
-9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
48.6±3.5Lowest 8% above ME |
50.4±3.4Highest 13% above ME |
| Rumford and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Rumford and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
16.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.2%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rumford and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
18.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Rumford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,747±$11kHighest 17% below ME |
$58,542±$24k 22% below ME |
$38,403±$6kLowest 49% below ME |
| Madison and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
$171,200±$36k 42% below ME |
$127,700±$21kLowest 57% below ME |
| Madison and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$247 20% below ME |
$1,111±$73Highest about the ME average |
$803±$81Lowest 29% below ME |
| Abbot and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,983 35% below ME |
$1,393Lowest 54% below ME |
$1,988Highest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.9%±11.7 ME: 48.4% |
6.7%±41.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.1%±11.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 15%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4% ME: 10.7% |
22.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
63.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 13 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1947Lowest 30 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
27 minHighest 11% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.7 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±17.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Abbot and Madison 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 | — | — | #126 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 59/MSAD 59 | — | RSU 10 |
| High school in town | Madison Jr/Sr High School | — | Mountain Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.