Compare towns
Dedham vs Limerick vs Belgrade vs Hope
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).
Limerick has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Limerick | Belgrade | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
3,400Highest |
3,351 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Belgrade 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% |
18.7%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4 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% |
17.1%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade 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% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1% ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Dedham 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 |
$101,172±$15k 35% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| Dedham and Limerick 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 |
$269,400±$29kLowest 9% below ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% 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±$607 25% above ME |
$1,758±$407Highest 54% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Limerick and Dedham 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 |
$2,520Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Limerick and Hope 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% |
6.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Hope 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 | — | — | #71 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | RSU 18 | Hope Public Schools |
| 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 | 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.