Compare towns
Dedham vs Freeport vs Hope
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 affordable homes ($356k median).
Freeport has the most expensive homes ($508k median).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Freeport | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
8,802Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Freeport 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% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Hope 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% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport 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 |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME |
| Freeport and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 30% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,842Lowest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and Hope 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 05 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.