Compare towns
Dresden vs Gorham vs Wiscasset
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).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Wiscasset has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Gorham | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
18,300Highest |
3,874 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
48.8±6.3 9% above ME |
| Dresden and Wiscasset 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Dresden 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
28%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wiscasset 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22k about the ME average |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$71,118±$37kLowest 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$325,200±$26k 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,518±$485 33% above ME |
| Gorham and Wiscasset 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,550 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gorham and Wiscasset 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wiscasset and Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | Gorham Public Schools | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.