Compare towns
Dedham vs Belgrade vs Bucksport
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).
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Bucksport has the most renters (25.7% rent).
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 | Belgrade | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
3,351 |
5,016Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
42.7±12.2Lowest 5% below ME |
| Belgrade 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% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Belgrade 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% |
49.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade 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 |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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 |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$252,300±$32kLowest 15% below ME |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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 |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$882±$92 23% below ME |
| Dedham and Bucksport 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 |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$2,021Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bucksport and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Bucksport 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 18 | RSU 25 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bucksport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.