Compare towns
Norway vs Dexter vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norway has the most kids (19.6% under 18).
Dexter has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Madison has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Norway | Dexter | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,173Lowest |
3,822 |
4,782Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±5Lowest about the ME average |
51±6.8Highest 14% above ME |
49.6±3.4 11% above ME |
| Dexter and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Norway and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Madison and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9% ME: 36.2% |
16.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Norway and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $43,432±$4kLowest 42% below ME |
$51,845±$18k 31% below ME |
$61,747±$11kHighest 17% below ME |
| Madison and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $162,000±$34kLowest 45% below ME |
$170,600±$52k 42% below ME |
$187,600±$40kHighest 37% below ME |
| Madison and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$86Lowest 33% below ME |
$838±$119 26% below ME |
$906±$247Highest 20% below ME |
| Madison and Dexter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,424Lowest 53% below ME |
$2,186Highest 28% below ME |
$1,983 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
65.2%±20.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±11.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dexter and Norway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 30.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
23.1% ME: 10.7% |
15%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
54.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
1964Lowest 13 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 53% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±6.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±10.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Dexter 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 | #79 of 133 in ME | #113 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | MSAD 46 | RSU 59/MSAD 59 |
| High school in town | — | Dexter Regional High School | Madison Jr/Sr High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.3Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.