Compare towns
Dedham vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Canton
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1956).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 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 | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
24,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.6±2.3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Canton 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. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Canton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27k 114% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
— | $2,315±$178Highest 64% above U.S. |
| Canton and Dedham 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. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Canton 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% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 282 in MA | — | — | #81 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | — | Canton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | — | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.