Compare towns
Dresden vs Mapleton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Mapleton | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
1,884 |
3,874Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
36.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$71,118±$37kLowest 5% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$29k 19% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$325,200±$26kHighest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
| Wiscasset and Dresden 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,550Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wiscasset and Mapleton 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wiscasset and Mapleton 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 | — | — | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.2 |
| 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.