Compare towns
Mapleton vs Dedham vs Hampden vs Castle Hill
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 most renters (20.1% rent).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
Castle Hill has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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 | Dedham | Hampden | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,656 |
7,896Highest |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Dedham 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% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden 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 |
$111,442±$18k 49% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
| Hampden and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
| Dedham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Dedham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 22 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
— |
| 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.