Compare towns
Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Ossipee vs Readfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Ossipee has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Ossipee | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,657Highest |
4,521 |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Readfield 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% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Ossipee 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% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee and Readfield 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% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 38% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23k about the U.S. average |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
| Ossipee 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. |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Dedham 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.