Compare towns
Dedham vs Readfield vs Windham 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 kids (23.8% under 18).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Otis has the oldest population (median age 54.7).
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 | Windham | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
2,651 |
19,188Highest |
705Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
| Otis and Readfield 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Otis 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% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Windham 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 |
$86,504±$8kLowest 16% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$101,250±$27k 35% above ME |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$282,500±$23kLowest 5% below ME |
| Windham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$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 |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Otis and Windham 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% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 14 | Otis Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.