Compare towns
Dedham vs Limestone 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).
Limestone has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Limestone | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,579Lowest |
1,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
45.3±4.9 about the ME average |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| 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% |
20.7%±4.8Lowest 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%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.7%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 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% |
20.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Limestone 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 |
$49,938±$8kLowest 33% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below 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±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above 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 |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest 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% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Highest 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 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.