Compare towns
Dedham vs Appleton vs Ellsworth vs Otis
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 kids (23.8% under 18).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Otis has the oldest population (median age 54.7).
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 | Ellsworth | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,360 |
8,657Highest |
705Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
| Otis and Appleton 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% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Appleton 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 |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$101,250±$27k 35% above ME |
| Dedham and Otis 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 |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
| Otis and Dedham 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 |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth 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% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton 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 | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Otis Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.