Compare towns
Hope vs Ogunquit vs Wells 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 the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the most renters (9.9% rent).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($356k 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 | Ogunquit | Wells | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,656 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells 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% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Ogunquit 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$111,442±$18k 49% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Dedham 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182Lowest 7% above ME |
— | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Wells 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.