Compare towns
Hope vs Dedham vs Manchester
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%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
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 | Dedham | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,656Lowest |
2,424Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester and Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Lowest 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% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
| Dedham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Hope and Dedham 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 |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Dedham and Hope 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Manchester 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% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.