Compare towns
Dedham vs Hope vs Limestone vs Mapleton
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).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Hope | Limestone | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,748 |
1,579Lowest |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Limestone 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% |
23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 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%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Limestone 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone and Mapleton 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 |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Hope and Dedham 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 |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$754±$233 34% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Dedham and Hope 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 |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Limestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
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| 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.