Compare towns
Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Epping vs Belgrade
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).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Ellsworth | Epping | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,657Highest |
7,430 |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Belgrade 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% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belgrade and Epping 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% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belgrade and Ellsworth 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. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Epping 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. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$312,200±$44k 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Epping and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Ellsworth 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% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Belgrade 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Epping School District | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | None yet | 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.