Compare towns
Dedham vs Phillips vs Strong
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).
Phillips has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Phillips | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Highest |
1,094Lowest |
1,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Phillips and Strong 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Phillips 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% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Phillips 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$47,557±$10k 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$190,800±$18k 36% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Dedham and Strong 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 |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Phillips and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Phillips are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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 |
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.