Compare towns
Dedham vs Weston vs Danforth 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 highest household income ($111k).
Weston has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
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 | Weston | Danforth | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656 |
275Lowest |
452 |
1,915Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | — | -0.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
55.1±14Highest 23% above ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
50.6±4.2 13% above ME |
| Weston and Danforth 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% |
14.9%±7.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Weston 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% |
21.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland and Danforth 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% |
23.3% ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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 49% above ME |
$58,942±$7k 21% below ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Orland 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 |
$171,700±$26k 42% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
— | $629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Orland 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 |
$1,500Lowest 51% below ME |
— | $2,089 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Weston and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
19.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±12.7 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Weston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | — | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | — |
| 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.