Compare towns
Mapleton vs Brooks vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
Brooks has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Dedham has the most expensive 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 | Mapleton | Brooks | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,656 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
| Dedham and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,096 31% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | 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.