Compare towns
Dedham vs Appleton vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Augusta has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Appleton | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,360Lowest |
19,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Dedham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Appleton 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 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 17.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.