Compare towns
Denmark vs Dedham vs Waterford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Denmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Waterford has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | Denmark | Dedham | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,054Lowest |
1,656Highest |
1,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.4±5Highest 21% above ME |
46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
54.3±1.6 21% above ME |
| Denmark and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterford and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,167±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$66,071±$17k 12% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $250,000±$68kLowest 16% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$273,800±$36k 8% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,409±$207 24% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$870±$405Lowest 24% below ME |
| Dedham and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,259 26% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$1,917Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.6%±34 ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 39% above ME |
30 minLowest 22% above ME |
34 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterford and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.