Compare towns
Dedham vs Dummer vs Ellsworth vs Hope
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 highest household income ($111k).
Dummer has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Hope has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Dummer | Ellsworth | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
299Lowest |
8,657Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellsworth and Dummer 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth 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 38% above U.S. |
$91,250±$21k 13% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
$242,200±$51kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
$373,400±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Hope and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942Highest 26% above U.S. |
$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hope and Dedham 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 | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.