Compare towns
Dresden vs Porter
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 oldest population (median age 55.1).
Porter has the most people working from home (15.5%).
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 | Porter |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
1,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
40.9±7.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Dresden and Porter 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% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Porter 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% |
14%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Porter 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 |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Dresden and Porter 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 |
$226,100±$20kLowest 24% below ME |
| Dresden and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Highest 18% below ME |
$1,841Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Porter and Dresden 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
32 minLowest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| School district | RSU 02 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.