Compare towns
Appleton vs Brunswick vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Appleton | Brunswick | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
22,336Highest |
1,656 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,952±$6k about the ME average |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
| Brunswick and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
| Brunswick and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| 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.