Compare towns
Dedham vs Kennebunk vs Middleton
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Kennebunk | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
11,820 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±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%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%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% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21kLowest 47% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290 about the U.S. average |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918 154% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$8,785Highest 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | #9 of 133 in ME | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | RSU 21 | Middleton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
11.6Highest |
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| 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.