Compare towns
Dresden vs Bath vs Alna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Bath has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
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 | Bath | Alna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645 |
8,815Highest |
818Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
| Dresden and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Dresden 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 ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22k about the ME average |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$93,125±$16kHighest 25% above ME |
| Alna and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
| Alna and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,088±$176 4% below ME |
| Dresden and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Lowest 18% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$3,667 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 35% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Alna 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 02 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| 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.