Norlands, The · National Register of Historic Places
Dresden’s story
232 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1816.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1794Dresden is settled
DresdenME
5 bordering townsMap →
Dresden Town House · Photo: Iverjm · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,792
2025 Census estimate · +4.1% since 2020
Typical home
$351K
+1.5% in a year
Household income
$75K
median
Median age
55.1
years
Jobs based here
118
A commuter town
Is Dresden a good place to live?
The best of Dresden’s subject grades is an A for history; the weakest is a D for walkability. Dresden’s median age is 55.1 years, above both the Maine town median (44.9 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 2 of the 144 Maine towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Dresden. Its National Register listings include Pownalborough Courthouse and Bowman-Carney House. Dresden has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Dresden stand out
Where Dresden beats most towns.
How Dresden grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Maine), ordered by how far Dresden is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.2 of 20; 5.7% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →SchoolsBOpen →HealthLincolnhealth 11.1 miles awayBOpen →Cost of livingC+Open →Jobs & income$75K median household incomeB−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 5% conserved landB−Open →History2 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life1.5 library visits per resident; 4.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Dresden: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dresden, and how to reach them.
PowerCentral Maine Power27.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterIndian Run Estates LLC water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offWiscasset Transfer Station, 5 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Maine you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDresden Town ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026
ZIP code0434204342 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dresden.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Dresden has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Dresden for work: only 2% work in town. Dresden’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, against 25 minutes in Maine’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Jobs based in Dresden grew to 118 in 2023, 60 more than in 2013.
2%work in town
| Dresden | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Dresden2%
Bath14%
Wiscasset11%
Portland7%
Brunswick5%
16 mi
median commute distance
118
jobs based in Dresden
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 9% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB
Public schools in Dresden beat 60% of Maine districts
Its public schools are run by RSU 02. Its one school is below.
60%of ME districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dresden Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 74 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ME on state tests and graduation
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Dresden
Dresden has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Dresden’s July high is 79°F.
69″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–33°
Spring33–53°
Summer56–77°
Fall39–58°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C+
The typical home in Dresden is valued at about $351K
The typical Dresden home is worth about $351,000, up 1.5% in a year, 15% below the Maine typical home. 88% of Dresden households own their home.
$351KZillow home value
| Dresden | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 81% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,194 a month | $1,106 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Dresden$351K
Maine$412K
+1.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB
Dresden is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns
Dresden beats the Maine average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Dresden.
56%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Dresden | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 81% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Maine
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Dresden | ME |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 67% | 63.8% |
Lincolnhealth
11.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
An age mix much like Maine’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Maine average. Dresden has grown 4.1% since 2020, to 1,792 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Maine.
55.1median age · ME 44.8
| Dresden | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 17% | 18% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 32% | 29% |
DresdenMaineUnited States
Ages · share of residents
25%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma9%
High school39%
Some college12%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.7 points. Across Maine, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Dresden | ME | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.1% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.8% | 8.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.1% | 8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.6% | 12% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.2% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.9% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 25.4% | 15.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.3% | 13.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.5% | 8.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.1% | 5.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 38.7% | 30.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 12.4% | 18.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.3% | 10.4% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.3% | 22.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.2% | 13.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,800, single groups can be off by several points
OutdoorsB−
5.1% of Dresden is conserved land
5.5 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The trail density in Dresden is 0.2 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Earle R. Kelly Wildlife Management Area, at 338 acres.
5.1%conserved
| Dresden | Maine towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.1% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
5.1%
conserved · 1,073 of 21,119 acres
5.5 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pownalborough Court House Trails | 1.5 mi | 70 |
| 2. Pownalborough Court House | 0.3 mi | 17 |
| 3. Earle R. Kelly Wildlife Management Area | — | 338 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Dresden, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1986, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Dresden.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesCoastal flooding
5
paid flood claims since 1986
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 40 attractions →Popham Colony and 26 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Dresden. Close and well known come first.
23 mi Ancient sitePopham Colony
40 mi LighthousePortland Head Light
38 mi LandmarkFort Gorges
21 mi LighthousePemaquid Point Light
15 mi GardenCoastal Maine Botanical Gardens24 mi LandmarkSpirit Pond runestones
40 mi LighthousePortland Head Light38 mi LandmarkFort Gorges21 mi LighthousePemaquid Point Light15 mi GardenCoastal Maine Botanical Gardens24 mi LandmarkSpirit Pond runestonesSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Portland Head Light: Aniarku, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Gorges: Dirk Ingo Franke, CC BY 3.0 · Pemaquid Point Light: WestportWiki, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens: CMBG editor, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dresden
19pages on Dresden
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Dresden; the nearest are
Bowdoin CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Brunswick16.7 mi$67,832 tuitionUniversity of Maine at AugustaUniversity or college · Public · Augusta17.6 mi$8,888 in-state tuitionCentral Maine Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Auburn25 mi$4,140 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Dresden residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Maine.
By the sea
Dresden lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 10% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
10%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
5paid flood-insurance claims since 1986
8storm & flood disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
Landmarks
8 places in Dresden on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Dresden
Town in Maine, United States
Dresden is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States, that was incorporated in 1794. The population was 1,725 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1794
- Area
- 33 sq mi
- Elevation
- 210 ft
- ZIP code
- 04342
- Area code
- 207
Dresden’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Dresden.
RichmondWiscassetAlnaWoolwichPittstonDresden
How the neighbors grade
| Town | ME rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dresden | — | — | C+ | — | B | B |
| Richmond | #40 | B+ | B− | A+ | — | B− |
| Wiscasset | #119 | C− | C− | B+ | D | B |
| Alna | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Woolwich | #19 | A− | B+ | — | B+ | A− |
| Pittston | #92 | C | B− | — | B− | B− |
Dresden has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Dresden, Woolwich and Pittston report no FBI crime data of their own. Alna isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Dresden with a neighbor →
Questions about Dresden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dresden, ME expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
What is Dresden, ME known for?
2 notable people were born here, including David Kidder and Benjamin Fiske Barrett.