Dresden, N.Y, 1907
Dresden’s story
202 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1907 and 3 maps from 1893 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1824Dresden is settled
DresdenNY
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Population
541
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Median home value
$192K
Census ACS
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
59.0
years
Jobs based here
21
A commuter town
Is Dresden a good place to live?
Dresden’s median age is 59 years, above both New York’s towns (43 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). 52% of the land in Dresden is conserved, where New York’s towns sit at 5.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Lake George Wild Forest, at 10,658 acres with 23.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Dresden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Dresden stand out
Where Dresden beats most towns.
Small town
541 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
HagueBoltonWest HavenWhitehallWhitehallBensonFort AnnPutnamDresden
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.
PowerNational Grid19.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dresden’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn New York you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before and received 10 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWashington County Board of ElectionsWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes12819, 12887, 1284112819 55% · 12887 30% · 12841 15%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.
Outdoors
Dresden has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
32 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
51.6%conserved
51.6%
conserved · 18,039 of 34,989 acres
32 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake George Wild Forest | 23.1 mi | 10,658 |
| 2. Lake George Islands Intensive Use Area | 2.1 mi | 268 |
| 3. future preserve | 0.3 mi | 151 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Dresden’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Dresden for work: only 3% work in town. Dresden’s average trip to work is 31 minutes. The top destinations are Ticonderoga (17%), Whitehall (8%) and Glens Falls (6%).
3%work in town
| Dresden | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 10% | 8% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Dresden3%
Ticonderoga17%
Whitehall8%
Glens Falls6%
Fort Edward5%
24 mi
median commute distance
21
jobs based in Dresden
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Dresden, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Dresden has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Dresden is 79°F.
75″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–31°
Spring31–53°
Summer54–77°
Fall38–57°
Sep 30
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Dresden
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1981, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Dresden.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
9
paid flood claims since 1981
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
Compared with most of New York and the rest of the country, more of Dresden’s adults had a checkup this year
84% of Dresden adults had a checkup this year. Dresden beats the New York average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 5.1% of Dresden adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Dresden | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 81% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 34% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
32 measures vs. New York
10 better15 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Dresden | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.4% | 14.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.1% | 7.7% |
Glens Falls Hospital
21.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 67 attractions →Lake George and 28 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Dresden. Close and well known come first.
5 mi LakeLake George
Big draw18 mi LandmarkFort Ticonderoga
17 mi LandmarkFort William Henry
20 mi Theme parkGreat Escape
34 mi Ski areaKillington Resort184 runs · 3,031 ft vertical
30 mi State parkGrant Cottage State Historic SiteSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake George: Sixlocal, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Ticonderoga: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort William Henry: IrisKawling at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Great Escape: Jared and Corin, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Killington Resort: NHRHS2010, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Grant Cottage State Historic Site: Coingeek at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dresden
17pages on Dresden
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Dresden; the nearest are
SUNY AdirondackCommunity college · Public · Queensbury19 mi$6,844 in-state tuitionEmpire State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saratoga Springs38.9 mi$7,648 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Dresden residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Get outside
32 miles of trails in Dresden
51.6% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
2
Lake George Islands Intensive Use Area2.1 mi of trails · 268 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Questions about Dresden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dresden, NY a good place to live?
Dresden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.