Compare towns
Dedham vs Gray vs Hermon
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).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Gray | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
8,429 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Hermon 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% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.5 |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.