Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Biddeford vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Biddeford has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Ellsworth | Biddeford | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657 |
22,498Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
| Biddeford and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,292±$100 13% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Biddeford and Dedham 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
14.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.