Compare towns
Dresden vs Brunswick
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 oldest population (median age 55.1).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
17,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Brunswick 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% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
| Dresden and Brunswick 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 |
$363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Dresden 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 |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.