Compare towns
Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Naples
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 highest household income ($111k).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Naples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,657Highest |
3,985 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME |
| Naples 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%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Naples 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% ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 49% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$78,188±$13k 5% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
| Dedham and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
| Naples and Dedham 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 |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #63 of 133 in ME | #118 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | Lake Region High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.