Compare towns
Dresden vs Brunswick vs Harrison
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 highest household income ($75k).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Harrison has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Harrison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
17,652Highest |
2,513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
| Harrison 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 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
9.1%±3Lowest 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%±8 ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.8%±7.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Harrison 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% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$56,938±$6kLowest 24% 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 |
$249,300±$70k 16% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$885±$193Lowest 22% below 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 |
$2,731 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Harrison 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% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Brunswick 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 | — | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 02 | — | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.