Compare towns
Dresden vs Stow
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 highest household income ($75k).
Stow has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Stow |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,645Highest |
535Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Lowest 23% above ME |
57±10.5Highest 27% above ME |
| Stow and Dresden 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% |
15.7%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dresden and Stow 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% |
37.9%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Stow 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% |
33.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$42,204±$22kLowest 44% below ME |
| Dresden and Stow 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 |
$326,400±$42kHighest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502 5% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Lowest 18% below ME |
$3,304Highest 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stow 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% |
8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 35% above ME |
51 minHighest 109% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±12Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Stow and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| 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.