Compare towns
Denmark vs Dresden vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Denmark has the most people working from home (12.7%).
Dresden has the highest household income ($75k).
Jay has the shortest commute (21 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 | Denmark | Dresden | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,054Lowest |
1,645 |
4,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.4±5 21% above ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
| Dresden and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Jay and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,167±$10kLowest 14% below ME |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
| Dresden and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $250,000±$68kHighest 16% below ME |
$240,100±$29k 19% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
| Denmark and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,409±$207Highest 24% above ME |
$1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
| Denmark and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,259 26% below ME |
$2,500Highest 18% below ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
33 min 35% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Denmark and Dresden 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 | — | — | #86 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 02 | RSU 73 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| 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.