Compare towns
Danforth vs Dedham vs Hope 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 most affordable homes ($85k median).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Hope | Danforth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,656 |
1,748Highest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
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% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest 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+ | 22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Danforth 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 |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$89,900±$36k 70% below ME |
| Hope and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
| Dedham and Hope 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 |
$3,842 27% 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% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest 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% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope 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 | Hope 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.