Compare towns
Denmark vs Durham vs Sidney vs Dresden
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1980).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
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 | Durham | Sidney | Dresden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,054Lowest |
4,262 |
4,790Highest |
1,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.4±5 21% above ME |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above 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% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Durham 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham 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 |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$74,844±$22k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $250,000±$68k 16% below ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
| Sidney and Durham 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 |
— | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME |
| Denmark and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Denmark and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 min 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.4 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Sidney 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 | — | #14 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 05 | RSU 18 | RSU 02 |
| 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 | 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.