Compare towns
Dedham vs Wells vs Orland
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Orland has the most affordable homes ($277k 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 | Wells | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
50.6±4.2 13% above ME |
| Wells and Orland 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%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Orland 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% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland and Wells 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 |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$69,348±$29kLowest 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Wells 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$277,100±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,149±$177Lowest about the ME average |
| Dedham and Wells 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 |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Orland and Wells 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wells and Orland 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.