Compare towns
Dedham vs Windham vs Hope vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Hope has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Windham | Hope | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
16,038Highest |
1,748 |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Readfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham 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±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$86,766±$6k 7% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$373,400±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,842 23% above U.S. |
$3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±38.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±10.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Windham 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Windham School District | Hope Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.