Compare towns
Waldoboro vs Mapleton vs Dedham vs Friendship
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waldoboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Friendship has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Waldoboro | Mapleton | Dedham | Friendship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,253Highest |
1,884 |
1,656 |
1,213Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
-0.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.1±4.6 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
| Friendship and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,107±$8kLowest 8% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$75,625±$22k about the ME average |
| Dedham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,900±$39k 7% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $348±$153Lowest 69% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,370±$53 20% above ME |
| Dedham and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,861 6% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,218 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±15.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±42.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Friendship and Waldoboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 3% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
17.9%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Friendship and Mapleton 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 | #55 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Medomak Valley High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — | — |
| 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.