What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).

Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dedham	Kennebunk
People
Population	25,237Highest	11,820Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S.	54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22%	17.7%±3Lowest 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%	30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	51.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S.	$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S.	$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S.	$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,918Highest 154% above U.S.	$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dedham and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	20%±2.7Lowest 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	#9 of 133 in ME
School district	Dedham	RSU 21
High school in town	Dedham High	Kennebunk High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.