Compare towns
Bucksport vs Dedham vs Prospect
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bucksport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
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 | Bucksport | Dedham | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,016Highest |
1,656 |
923Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.2Lowest 5% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
45.2±7.5 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$81,250±$17k 9% above ME |
| Dedham and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,300±$32k 15% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $882±$92Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,107±$61 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,021 33% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
| Bucksport and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 15% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bucksport and Dedham 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 | #68 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 25 | Dedham Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Bucksport High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.