Compare towns
Dedham vs Ossipee vs Belgrade
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 highest household income ($111k).
Ossipee has the most renters (18% rent).
Belgrade has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Ossipee | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
4,521Highest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 20% above U.S. |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6 22% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Belgrade 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% |
19.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee and Belgrade 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 38% above U.S. |
$90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$325,500±$23k about the U.S. average |
$312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Dedham 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. |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Belgrade and Dedham 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.

