Compare towns
Dedham vs Gray vs Wells
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 affordable homes ($364k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
8,429Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%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% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest 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±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dedham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.5Highest |
11.4 |
| 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.