Compare towns
Dedham vs Hampton Beach 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).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Readfield has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
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 | Hampton Beach | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
2,605 |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 20% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Readfield 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% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Readfield 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. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$844Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Hampton Beach 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. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Readfield 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 | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.