Compare towns
Pownal vs Appleton vs Dedham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pownal has the most people working from home (23.9%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Pownal | Appleton | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,696Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,656 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Pownal and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,212Highest 72% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.9%±22.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 05 | Appleton Public Schools | 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.