Compare towns
Hope vs Standish vs Windham 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%).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Windham has the most renters (15.4% rent).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
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 | Standish | Windham | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
| Dedham and Hope 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 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%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Hope and Dedham 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% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14k 44% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Windham 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 |
$336,000±$18kLowest 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
| Windham and Hope 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 |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Windham 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 |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 19% below ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.