Compare towns
Hope vs Lyman 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%).
Lyman has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
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 | Hope | Lyman | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748 |
4,612Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4Lowest 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% |
26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman 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% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Lyman 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 |
$360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
$356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
| Hope and Lyman 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 |
$1,063±$522Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above 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 |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95% 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 |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman and Hope 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 | — | #40 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | 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.