Compare towns
Harrison vs Dresden vs Whitefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harrison has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Dresden has the most renters (11.8% rent).
Whitefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Harrison | Dresden | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,513Highest |
1,645Lowest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.6Highest 25% above ME |
55.1±7.9 23% above ME |
51.9±5.2Lowest 16% above ME |
| Harrison and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9.1%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Harrison and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Whitefield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,938±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$73,875±$10k about the ME average |
| Dresden and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,300±$70kHighest 16% below ME |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
| Harrison and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $885±$193Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$895±$126 21% below ME |
| Dresden and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,731Highest 10% below ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
$2,366Lowest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.5%±24.4 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Whitefield and Harrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 24% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.3%±9.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Harrison and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 02 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.