Compare towns
Dedham vs Westbrook vs Ellsworth
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 homeowners (95.5%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Westbrook | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
20,775Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Westbrook 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% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Dedham 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% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook and Ellsworth 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 |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Westbrook and Dedham 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 |
$1,392±$74 22% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Dedham and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 30% above ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #115 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Westbrook High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.