Compare towns
Danforth vs Dedham vs Strong vs Mattawamkeag
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).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Mattawamkeag has the most renters (23.9% rent).
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 | Strong | Mattawamkeag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,656Highest |
1,249 |
698 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
-13.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
51.4±3.8 15% above ME |
| Danforth and Mattawamkeag 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±9.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
20.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Strong 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% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
6.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 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 |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
$45,000±$16k 40% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$183,900±$29k 38% below ME |
$104,200±$41k 65% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$488±$190Lowest 57% below ME |
| Dedham and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,111Lowest 63% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
42.7%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mattawamkeag and Strong 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% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
33.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
76.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
2.2%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 58/MSAD 58 | — |
| 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.