Compare towns
Hope vs Eliot vs Dedham
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%).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
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 | Hope | Eliot | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
7,146Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
| Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot 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% |
43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Hope 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 |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,422±$607 25% above ME |
| Eliot and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Hope 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hope and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Dedham Public Schools |
| 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.