Compare towns
Dresden vs Danforth vs Waterford
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 kids (17% under 18).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Waterford has the most people working from home (18.8%).
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 | Danforth | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Highest |
452Lowest |
1,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | +1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
51.9±5.3Lowest 16% above ME |
54.3±1.6 21% above ME |
| Dresden and Waterford 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% |
14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Danforth 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% |
22.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Waterford 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.7%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Waterford 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±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$66,071±$17k 12% below ME |
| Dresden and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,100±$29k 19% below ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$273,800±$36kHighest 8% below ME |
| Waterford and Dresden 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 |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$870±$405 24% below ME |
| Dresden and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Highest 18% below ME |
— | $1,917Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26 ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.6%±34Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterford and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 35% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
34 minHighest 40% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| 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.