Compare towns
Dresden vs Harrison vs Millinocket vs Whitefield
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).
Harrison has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Whitefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Harrison | Millinocket | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
2,513 |
4,115Highest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7% ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
54.2±6.2 21% above ME |
51.9±5.2Lowest 16% 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%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.8%±7.6 ME: 22.4% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Harrison 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% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$56,938±$6k 24% below ME |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$73,875±$10k about the ME average |
| Dresden and Whitefield 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 |
$249,300±$70kHighest 16% below ME |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
| Harrison and Whitefield 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 |
$885±$193 22% below ME |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$895±$126 21% below ME |
| Dresden and Whitefield 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 |
$2,731Highest 10% below ME |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Whitefield 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% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Whitefield 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 | — | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 02 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.