Compare towns
Augusta vs Dedham vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Augusta | Dedham | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,656Lowest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Augusta 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 | #119 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Dedham Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| 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.