Compare towns
Dedham vs Hermon vs Mapleton vs Readfield
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 highest household income ($111k).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Hermon | Mapleton | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
6,727Highest |
1,884 |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield 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% |
21.6%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Hermon 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 ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Hermon 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 |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Dedham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Hermon 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Mapleton 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 | — | #54 of 133 in ME | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hermon High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.