Compare towns
Dedham vs Exeter vs Belgrade 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 most kids (23.8% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Exeter | Belgrade | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
16,151Highest |
3,351 |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6 22% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Belgrade 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #71 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 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.