Compare towns
Berwick vs Dedham vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most people working from home (13.7%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Berwick | Dedham | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,998Highest |
1,656 |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6Lowest 5% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
46±9.3 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Franklin and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$39k 9% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
| Dedham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$245,800±$59kLowest 17% below ME |
| Dedham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
| Dedham and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806 25% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,231Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Franklin 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Dedham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.