Compare towns
Danforth vs Dedham vs Liberty
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).
Liberty has the most people working from home (14.4%).
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 | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,656Highest |
969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Danforth and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Liberty 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% |
43.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$229,600±$31k 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Liberty and Dedham 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% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Liberty 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None 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.