Compare towns
Dedham vs Jay vs Readfield vs Mount Vernon
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).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Readfield has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Jay | Readfield | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
471Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 20% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
47.1±6.2 21% above U.S. |
| Jay and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Vernon and Readfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
$74,395±$6kLowest 8% below 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±$33kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$264,200±$23k 21% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$893±$168Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942Highest 26% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
$2,832Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±36.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jay 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Jay 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 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | RSU 38 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.