Compare towns
Dedham vs Ryegate 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 most expensive homes ($356k median).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k median).
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 | Ryegate | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656 |
1,059Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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% |
23.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest 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% |
22.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth 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 38% above U.S. |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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. |
$219,300±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
$908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Ellsworth 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. |
$3,472 11% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dedham and Ryegate 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 | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.