Compare towns
Dedham vs Bath vs Surry vs Hope
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).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Surry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 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 | Bath | Surry | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,815Highest |
1,836 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Surry 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% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Hope 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% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Bath 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% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath 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 |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
| Hope and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Dedham and Hope 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 |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Hope 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Surry Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.