Compare towns
Dresden vs Millinocket vs Norridgewock
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%).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Norridgewock has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Millinocket | Norridgewock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
4,115Highest |
3,288 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
54.2±6.2 21% above ME |
50.3±11Lowest 12% above ME |
| Dresden and Millinocket 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% |
16.1%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
10.5%±5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Millinocket 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% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Millinocket 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±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$61,579±$19k 18% below ME |
| Dresden and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,100±$29kHighest 19% below ME |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$151,900±$52k 49% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,063±$588 7% below ME |
| Dresden and Norridgewock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Highest 18% below ME |
$1,580 48% below ME |
$1,462Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11 ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±46.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Norridgewock and Millinocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.1% ME: 10.7% |
20.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
22 minLowest 10% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.3%±13.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Norridgewock and Dresden 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 | #91 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 54/MSAD 54 |
| High school 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 |
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.