Compare towns
Dedham vs Hope vs Sidney
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 the most people working from home (18.3%).
Sidney has the most affordable homes ($336k 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 | Hope | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
1,748 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
| Dedham and Hope 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% |
23.1%±5.6Lowest 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%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Dedham 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% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Hope 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 |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$336,200±$34kLowest 13% above 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±$182Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Dedham and Sidney 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Sidney 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Sidney 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 | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.