Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Brunswick 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 the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Brunswick has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Brunswick | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657 |
22,336Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% 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% |
17.2%±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%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick and Ellsworth 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 ME: 36.2% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$376,300±$15kHighest 27% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
| Brunswick 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 |
$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
| Brunswick and Dedham 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 |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.