Compare towns
Dedham vs Limestone vs Readfield
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).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,579Lowest |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
-34.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
45.3±4.9Lowest about the ME average |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield 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% |
20.7%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Limestone 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Limestone 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% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9.5%±4.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| 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 20% above ME |
$98,400±$18kLowest 67% below ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| 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 25% above ME |
$754±$233Lowest 34% below ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| 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 30% above ME |
$1,332Lowest 56% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
32%±12.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Limestone and Readfield 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±5.2 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Limestone 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 | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics · Limestone Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | ME Sch of Science & Mathematics | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.