Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Dedham vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
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 | Mount Vernon | Dedham | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,716Highest |
1,656 |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2Highest 5% above ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Mount Vernon and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6k about the ME average |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23k 11% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$214,000±$40kLowest 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
| Dedham and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Vernon and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 38 | Dedham Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.