Compare towns
Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Gray vs Readfield
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).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Ellsworth | Gray | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,657Highest |
8,429 |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield 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 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Gray 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% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Ellsworth 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% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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 49% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Gray 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 |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Gray 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 25% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Gray 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 |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 16% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.