Compare towns
Dresden vs Harrison vs Wells
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).
Harrison has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
2,513 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% 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% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.9% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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±$22k about the ME average |
$56,938±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
| Wells 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 |
$249,300±$70k 16% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$885±$193Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells 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 |
$2,731 10% below ME |
$3,215Highest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
31 min 24% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Wells 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 | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.