Compare towns
Readfield vs Bath vs Dedham vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Readfield | Bath | Dedham | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,651 |
8,815Highest |
1,656Lowest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 7% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Dedham and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Dedham and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392 12% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,859Lowest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 20% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Morse High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
— | — |
| 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.