Compare towns
Dedham vs Denmark vs Smithfield
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).
Denmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Denmark | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Highest |
1,054 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
54.4±5 21% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Denmark 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% |
15.6%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark and Smithfield 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% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Denmark 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 |
$64,167±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
$107,917±$27k 44% above ME |
| Dedham and Smithfield 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 |
$250,000±$68k 16% below ME |
$242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,409±$207 24% above ME |
$1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
| Dedham and Denmark 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 |
$2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,866 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Smithfield 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.