Compare towns
Dedham vs Readfield vs Ryegate
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).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
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 | Readfield | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
2,651Highest |
1,059Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% 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% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Ryegate 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Readfield and Ryegate 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% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% 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. |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$219,300±$32kLowest 34% 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 |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
$908±$236Lowest 36% 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 | $3,942Highest 26% above U.S. |
$3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,472 11% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ryegate and Readfield 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.

