Compare towns
Dedham vs Bucksport vs Holden
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 expensive homes ($356k median).
Bucksport has the most renters (25.7% rent).
Holden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Bucksport | Holden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
5,016Highest |
3,352 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
42.7±12.2Lowest 5% below ME |
45±4.6 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Holden 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% |
17.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.5%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.1%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Dedham 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% |
27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Holden 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 |
$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
$92,200±$35k 23% above ME |
| Dedham and Holden 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 |
$252,300±$32kLowest 15% below ME |
$289,400±$70k about the ME average |
| Dedham and Holden 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 |
$882±$92Lowest 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 |
$2,021Lowest 33% below ME |
$3,221 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.8%±30.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Bucksport and Holden 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% |
6.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 15% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Holden 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 | — | #68 of 133 in ME | #61 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 25 | RSU 63/MSAD 63 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bucksport High School | None in town |
| 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.