Compare towns
Belgrade vs Dedham vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Belgrade | Dedham | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Highest |
1,656Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.