Compare towns
Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Ogunquit vs Wakefield
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 most kids (23.8% under 18).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Ogunquit | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
8,657 |
1,379Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Ogunquit 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Wakefield 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. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Wakefield 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #63 of 133 in ME | — | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | — | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | — | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.