Compare towns
Dedham vs Bow vs Readfield vs Otis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Bow | Readfield | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
8,335Highest |
2,651 |
705Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
54.7±3.1Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Otis and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Readfield and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$101,250±$27k 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$282,500±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,125±$844Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,563±$734Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Otis and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
$2,263Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Bow School District | RSU 38 | Otis Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.