Compare towns
Dedham vs Putney vs Readfield vs Ellsworth
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).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Putney | Readfield | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
2,622 |
2,651 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Readfield and Ellsworth 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% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| 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 7% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Readfield 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. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #20 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 38 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.