Compare towns
Dresden vs Cornish 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 oldest population (median age 55.1).
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Alna has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Cornish | Alna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645 |
1,803Highest |
818Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
40.7±10.5 9% below ME |
| Dresden and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dresden and Cornish 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 |
$69,038±$4kLowest 8% 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 |
$274,200±$84k 8% below ME |
$367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
| Alna and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$1,088±$176Lowest 4% below ME |
| Cornish and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500 18% below ME |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$3,667Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Cornish and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 35% above ME |
31 minLowest 27% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
16.4%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Alna and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 02 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.