Compare towns
Dresden vs Otis vs Alna
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%).
Otis has the highest household income ($101k).
Alna has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Otis | Alna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Highest |
705Lowest |
818 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
54.7±3.1 22% above ME |
40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
| Dresden and Otis 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% |
16.6%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.9%±8 ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Otis 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% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Dresden and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average |
$101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
$93,125±$16k 25% above ME |
| Otis and Alna 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 |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
$367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
$1,088±$176Lowest 4% below ME |
| Otis 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 |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,667Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±70.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alna and Otis 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% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 35% above ME |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.4%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 02 | Otis Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.