Compare towns
Dedham vs Danforth vs Pownal vs Otis
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).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Danforth | Pownal | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
666Lowest |
1,696Highest |
705 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
53.1±4.4 19% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
| Otis and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Dedham 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% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Pownal 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49% ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal 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 |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
$101,250±$27k 35% above ME |
| Dedham and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$981±$636 14% below ME |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
| Otis and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 30% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$2,263 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | RSU 05 | Otis Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.