Compare towns
Dedham vs Appleton vs China
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 most expensive homes ($356k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
China has the most people working from home (12.6%).
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 | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,360Lowest |
4,526Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
40.9±5.9Lowest 9% 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% |
20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and China 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% |
21.4%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and China 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% |
31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Dedham 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±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$96,309±$12k 29% above ME |
| Dedham and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$240,000±$37k 19% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% 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 |
$2,535Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 minLowest 21% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.6%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| China 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 | — | — | #27 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.