Compare towns
Dedham vs Eliot vs Kennebunk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Dedham | Eliot | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
7,146Lowest |
11,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dedham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #19 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | Kennebunk High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.