Compare towns
Dedham vs Middlesex vs Belgrade vs Hope
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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Belgrade has the most affordable homes ($312k 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 | Middlesex | Belgrade | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
1,943 |
3,351Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6Highest 22% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belgrade 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. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$86,766±$6kLowest 7% above 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. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Hope 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 |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% 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. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hope and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Belgrade 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 18 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.