Compare towns
Danforth vs Dedham vs Appleton vs Danforth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Danforth has the oldest population (median age 53.1).
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 | Danforth | Dedham | Appleton | Danforth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,656Highest |
1,360 |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Danforth and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$89,900±$36k 70% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
| Dedham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Dedham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.