Compare towns
Dedham vs Prospect vs Otis
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 people working from home (9.3%).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Otis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Prospect | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Highest |
923 |
705Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
45.2±7.5Lowest about the ME average |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
25.2%±10.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Prospect and Dedham 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% |
19.8%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Otis and Prospect 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% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Prospect 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 |
$81,250±$17kLowest 9% above ME |
$101,250±$27k 35% above ME |
| Dedham and Otis 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 |
$196,500±$19kLowest 34% below ME |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,107±$61Lowest about the ME average |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
| Otis and Dedham 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 |
$1,979Lowest 35% below ME |
$2,263 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±42 ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Otis and Prospect 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
33 min 34% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.2%±3.3 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Dedham and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | Otis Public Schools |
| High school 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.