Compare towns
Hope vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k 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 | Mount Desert | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
1,671 |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
| Mount Desert 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert 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±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Mount Desert 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Mount Desert 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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.