Compare towns
Dedham vs Mount Vernon 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).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Readfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Mount Vernon | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
1,716 |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
| Readfield and Mount Vernon 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%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Mount Vernon 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% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Readfield 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% |
42.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$74,395±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$264,200±$23kLowest 11% 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 |
$893±$168Lowest 22% 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 |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Readfield and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Readfield 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 | RSU 38 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.