Compare towns
Smithfield vs Dedham vs Denmark
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Denmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Smithfield | Dedham | Denmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 856Lowest |
1,656Highest |
1,054 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME |
54.4±5 21% above ME |
| Smithfield and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.7% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Denmark and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,917±$27k 44% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$64,167±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
| Dedham and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,800±$15kLowest 18% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$250,000±$68k 16% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$358Lowest about the ME average |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,409±$207 24% above ME |
| Dedham and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,866 6% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 32% above ME |
30 minLowest 22% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Dedham Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.