Compare towns
Dedham vs Jackson vs Mapleton vs Ellsworth
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 expensive homes ($356k median).
Jackson has the most people working from home (15.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
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 | Jackson | Mapleton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
567Lowest |
1,884 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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% |
17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 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% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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 |
$75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% 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±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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 |
$2,651 13% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Jackson 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 | — | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.