Compare towns
Durham vs Dedham vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
West Gardiner has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Durham | Dedham | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Highest |
1,656Lowest |
3,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
43.5±2.8 about the ME average |
| Dedham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Dedham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$96,172±$30kLowest 29% above ME |
| Dedham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$305,100±$42kLowest about the ME average |
| Dedham and Durham 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 |
$1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
| Dedham and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and West Gardiner 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None 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.