Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Bow vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Bow | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
8,335 |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.5±2.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$111,442±$18k 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,942 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Bow School District | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.