Compare towns

Dedham vs New Gloucester vs Belgrade

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).
New Gloucester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).

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.

MeasureDedhamNew GloucesterBelgrade
People
Population
1,656Lowest
5,766Highest
3,351
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+2.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+1.9%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
46.5±2.2
4% above ME
40.1±5.5Lowest
10% below ME
47.3±14.6Highest
6% above ME
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%±3.6
ME: 18.1%
24.2%±5.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
22.6%±6.9Lowest
ME: 18.1%
New Gloucester and Dedham 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%
15.4%±4.2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
23.9%±6.4Highest
ME: 22.4%
Belgrade 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%
30.7%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
49.1%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.3%±1.7Lowest
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.7%±3.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
Belgrade 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
$108,797±$12k
46% above ME
$88,338±$13kLowest
18% above ME
Dedham and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$356,400±$33k
20% above ME
$357,100±$29kHighest
20% above ME
$312,200±$44kLowest
5% above ME
New Gloucester 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
25% above ME
$1,150±$249
about the ME average
$857±$108Lowest
25% below ME
Dedham and New Gloucester 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
$3,417
13% above ME
$2,859Lowest
6% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
13%±85.3Lowest
ME: 48.4%
24.7%±12Highest
ME: 48.4%
17.2%±35.9
ME: 48.4%
New Gloucester and Belgrade 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%
4.3%
ME: 10.7%
3.1%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.5%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.9%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
93.8%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Lowest
6 yrs newer than ME
1991Highest
14 yrs newer than ME
1985
8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
22% above ME
27 min
9% above ME
23 minLowest
7% below ME
Work from home
9.3%±4.3Lowest
ME: 15.9%
14.2%±6.5
ME: 15.9%
20.4%±8.6Highest
ME: 15.9%
Belgrade and New Gloucester 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 — #65 of 133 in ME #71 of 133 in ME
School district Dedham Public Schools RSU 15/MSAD 15 RSU 18
High school in town None in town None in town None in town
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.