Compare towns
Dedham vs Unity vs Belgrade vs Mount Vernon
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 highest household income ($111k).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Belgrade has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Belgrade | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
1,858 |
3,351Highest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
47.1±6.2 5% above ME |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon 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% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Belgrade 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade 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% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$74,395±$6k about the ME average |
| Dedham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
| Dedham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$893±$168 22% below ME |
| Dedham and Mount Vernon 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
$2,832 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade 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 | — | — | #71 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.