Compare towns
Dedham vs Appleton vs Monticello
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%).
Monticello has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
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 | Monticello |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Highest |
1,360 |
674Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
52.7±6Highest 18% above ME |
| Monticello 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%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
28.2%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monticello and Appleton 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% |
9.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1Lowest 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±$19k 28% below ME |
$51,875±$13kLowest 31% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$125,800±$36kLowest 58% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$833±$434Lowest 27% 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 |
$1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Monticello 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% |
19.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.