Compare towns
Dedham vs Monroe vs Bucksport
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).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Bucksport has the most renters (25.7% 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 | Monroe | Bucksport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,001Lowest |
5,016Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
42.7±12.2Lowest 5% below ME |
| Dedham and Monroe 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% |
23.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.9%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Monroe 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% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
26.6%±7.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bucksport and Monroe 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% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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 |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$220,300±$57kLowest 26% below ME |
$252,300±$32k 15% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$882±$92Lowest 23% below ME |
| Dedham and Monroe 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 |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$2,021Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±17 ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
28 minLowest 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Monroe and Bucksport 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 | — | — | #68 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 25 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bucksport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.