Compare towns
Holden vs Durham vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holden has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Holden | Durham | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,352 |
4,262Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45±4.6 about the ME average |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
| Dedham and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Dedham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,200±$35kLowest 23% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% 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 | $289,400±$70kLowest about the ME average |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
| 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±$607 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,221Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,781 25% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 22.8%±30.9 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Durham and Holden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.2% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.8%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Holden 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 | #61 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 63/MSAD 63 | RSU 05 | Dedham Public Schools |
| 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.