Compare towns
Hope vs Cushing vs Dedham vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Hope | Cushing | Dedham | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,460Lowest |
1,656 |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Cushing and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Readfield and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cushing and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
| Cushing and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
$1,125±$844Lowest about the ME average |
| Cushing and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 27% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Cushing 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 | — | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 13 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.