Compare towns
Dedham vs Mapleton vs Middlesex vs Ellsworth
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 most kids (23.8% under 18).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Middlesex | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
1,884 |
1,943 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Middlesex 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% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellsworth and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Middlesex 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 38% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
| Middlesex 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 about the U.S. average |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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 → |
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.