The Town FilesDexter, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 3,803 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,600
- Household income
- $51,845
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 72 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 51.0
Dexter is a town of 3,803 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $170,600, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more walkable than 78% of Maine towns.
How Dexter ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dexter is worth $170,600, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $51,845, which is more affordable than 56% of Maine towns. Median rent is $838 a month. 66.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dexter | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,600 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $838 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $51,845 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 66.3% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.3% | — |
Who lives in Dexter
| People | Dexter | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.0 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.1% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 90.0% |
Weather in Dexter
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 7.2°F. About 42.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 71.5 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dexter since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 15, 2014 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 15, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 4, 2011.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Dexter itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Dexter
3 public schools with 832 students, about 9.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridge View Community School | PK-8 | 562 | 10.2 |
| Dexter Regional High School | 9-12 | 270 | 13.5 |
| Tri-County Technical Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Dexter
- Dover-Foxcroft, ME10.4 mi · 4,422 people · home $162,600
- Dover-Foxcroft, ME11.7 mi · 2,776 people · home $158,800
- Newport, ME12.4 mi · 3,133 people · home $234,800
- Corinth, ME13.9 mi · 2,900 people · home $135,800
- Levant, ME17.9 mi · 2,940 people · home $268,500
- Pittsfield, ME19.7 mi · 2,822 people · home $162,100
- Pittsfield, ME20.1 mi · 3,908 people · home $164,100
- Carmel, ME21.5 mi · 2,867 people · home $256,800
Dexter questions
Is Dexter, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dexter scores better for retirees than 24% of Maine towns and quieter than 40%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.0).
How much does a house cost in Dexter?
The median owner-occupied home in Dexter is valued at $170,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,845, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $838 a month.
What is the weather like in Dexter?
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 7.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.9 inches of precipitation a year and 71.5 inches of snow.
Does Dexter get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dexter since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 15, 2014. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)