Compare towns
Dresden vs Standish
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).
Standish has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Standish |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
10,662Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Standish 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Dresden and Standish 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% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
| Standish 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±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
| Dresden and Standish 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 |
$3,005Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Dresden 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 02 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
| 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.