Compare towns
Dedham vs Brewer vs Woolwich vs Readfield
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).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Woolwich has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Brewer | Woolwich | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
9,652Highest |
3,158 |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Woolwich and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Brewer 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% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Woolwich and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer 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 |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$102,175±$26k 37% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Woolwich 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$254,500±$59k 14% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Dedham and Readfield 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 |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
— | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Readfield 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Woolwich and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
13.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Woolwich 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #92 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.