Compare towns
Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Hampden
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 expensive homes ($356k median).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,657Highest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Dedham 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% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18k 49% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Dedham 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 |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
| Dedham and Hampden 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 |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
| Dedham and Hampden 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 |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #63 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.