Compare towns
Dedham vs Mount Desert vs Wayne
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 highest household income ($129k).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Wayne 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%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Mount Desert 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% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Dedham 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. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,512 13% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% 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% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Mount Desert 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 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. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Dedham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Dedham | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Dedham High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.