The Town FilesDresden, Maine
Town in Lincoln County · population 1,725 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $240,100
- Household income
- $74,844
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 72 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 55.1
Dresden is a town of 1,725 people in Lincoln County, Maine. The median home is worth $240,100, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks better for young professionals than 88% of Maine towns, more seaside character than 85% of Maine towns, more upscale than 79% of Maine towns.
How Dresden ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dresden is worth $240,100, close to the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $74,844, which is more affordable than 60% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,194 a month. 88.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dresden | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,100 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,194 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $74,844 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.2% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.0% | — |
Who lives in Dresden
| People | Dresden | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.1 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.5% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 12.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.6% | 90.0% |
Weather in Dresden
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 12.1°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 72.3 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dresden since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 1, 1968 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 24, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on August 2, 2011.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4764: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 11,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,238 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Dresden itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Dresden
1 public school with 80 students, about 7.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dresden Elementary School | PK-5 | 80 | 7.3 |
Towns near Dresden
- Richmond, ME3.7 mi · 1,810 people · home $221,100
- Richmond, ME5.1 mi · 3,522 people · home $242,700
- Alna, ME5.4 mi · 710 people · home $367,400
- Wiscasset, ME5.5 mi · 3,742 people · home $325,200
- Wiscasset, ME6.0 mi · 1,232 people · home $288,700
- Pittston, ME6.7 mi · 2,875 people · home $238,700
- Bowdoinham, ME6.9 mi · 3,047 people · home $405,500
- Gardiner, ME8.0 mi · 5,961 people · home $221,600
Dresden questions
Is Dresden, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dresden scores better for retirees than 65% of Maine towns and quieter than 70%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.1).
How much does a house cost in Dresden?
The median owner-occupied home in Dresden is valued at $240,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,844, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,194 a month.
What is the weather like in Dresden?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 12.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.7 inches of precipitation a year and 72.3 inches of snow.
Does Dresden get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dresden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 1, 1968. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)