Compare towns
Dedham vs Westbrook vs Windham
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).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
20,775Highest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dedham and Westbrook 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$85,038±$7kLowest 14% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
| Dedham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
| Windham and Westbrook 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 |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above 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 |
$3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Westbrook and Windham 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% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham and Westbrook 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 | — | #115 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Westbrook Public Schools | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Westbrook High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.