Compare towns
Dedham vs Mapleton vs Ludlow 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).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($134k 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 | Mapleton | Ludlow | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,884 |
444Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.1±5.8 about the ME average |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Dedham and Ludlow 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Ludlow 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
16.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±3.1Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$62,500±$21kLowest 16% below 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$133,900±$56kLowest 55% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$988±$111 13% 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 |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±94.3 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90.4% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mapleton and Ludlow 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.