Compare towns
Auburn vs Dedham vs Westbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($282k median).
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Auburn | Dedham | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
1,656Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
| Westbrook and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
| Dedham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687Lowest 21% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.