Compare towns
Dresden vs Bartlett vs Wiscasset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Bartlett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
Wiscasset has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Dresden | Bartlett | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
3,281 |
3,874Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9 42% above U.S. |
57.4±4.7Highest 48% above U.S. |
48.8±6.3Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Bartlett and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
7.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dresden and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
36.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±6.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bartlett and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.1%±0.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dresden and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$59,754±$9kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$71,118±$37k 12% below U.S. |
| Dresden and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,100±$29kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$371,400±$78kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$325,200±$26k about the U.S. average |
| Bartlett and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,676±$97Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,518±$485 7% above U.S. |
| Bartlett and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,512 19% below U.S. |
$3,550Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.5%±37.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.6%±15.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bartlett and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wiscasset and Bartlett 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 | — | #74 of 120 in NH | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | Bartlett School District | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.