Compare towns
Dedham vs Springfield 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).
Springfield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Springfield | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
9,084Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Springfield 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% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Springfield 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% |
23.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Springfield 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% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±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. |
$66,571±$13kLowest 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. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
$963±$100Lowest 32% 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 | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Springfield 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% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Springfield 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Springfield High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.