Compare towns
Dresden vs Kittery vs Ogunquit 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).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Kittery | Ogunquit | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,645 |
10,473Highest |
1,379Lowest |
3,874 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
46.8±2.3Lowest 4% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
48.8±6.3 9% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Dresden 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% |
14.7%±2.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Kittery 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% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
28%±6.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wiscasset 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% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Kittery and Ogunquit 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 |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,118±$37kLowest 5% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Kittery 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 |
$468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$325,200±$26k 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
— | $1,518±$485 33% above ME |
| Kittery 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 |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,550 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Kittery 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% ME: 74.3% |
67.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 133 in ME | — | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | Kittery Public Schools | — | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | — | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| 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.