Town · Maine
Dresden, Maine
Dresden, town, in Lincoln County, Maine. Dresden had 1,792 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,725 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,645 (±413). GEOID 2301518475.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,792
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,725 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,645 ±413
Median household income
$74,844
±$22,164 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$240,100
±$29,464 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,194
±$502 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Dresden and what county is it in?
Dresden is a town in Lincoln County, Maine. It covers 30.5 square miles of land, 57 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Dresden, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,792 people lived in Dresden on July 1, 2025, up 4.1% since 2020, in line with Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,725 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,645 (±413).
| Measure | Dresden | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,645±413 | 36,099 | no clear change |
| Households | 757±177 | 16,592 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.16±0.25 | 2.13 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 855±191 | 23,922 | no clear change |
Dresden's population since 2000
From 1,625 in 2000 to 1,792 in 2025: up 10.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Dresden as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Dresden?
The median resident of Dresden is 55.1 years old; 17.0% are under 18 and 24.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.3%.
| Measure | Dresden | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.1±7.9 | 51.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.0%±7.6 pts | 16.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.8%±6.7 pts | 29.4% | – |
| Male | 47.4%±4.6 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.0%±1.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.6%±4.9 pts | 93.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.3%±4.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.1%±1.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.3%±1.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.6%±2.8 pts | 10.8% | – |
| With a disability | 14.2%±4.4 pts | 16.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.7%±10.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.9%±7.5 pts | 95.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.5%±7.8 pts | 40.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 13.2%±4.2 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.8%±4.1 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Dresden earn?
Half of Dresden's 757 households earn less than $74,844 a year (±$22,164), against $76,875 in Lincoln County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $85,687 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Dresden | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,844±$22,164 | $76,875 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $86,305±$12,891 | $99,809 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,719±$6,256 | $45,631 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.3%±6.4 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 29.4%±28.2 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.2%±5.0 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.5%±12.5 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.6%±12.6 pts | 89.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Dresden?
Owners occupy 88.2% of Dresden's occupied homes and renters 11.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $240,100 by its owner (±$29,464). The median renter pays $1,194 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Dresden | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $240,100±$29,464 | $332,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,194±$502 | $1,055 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 13.2%±17.4 pts | 27.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,489±$138 | $1,605 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 88.2%±5.9 pts | 82.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 11.8%±5.9 pts | 17.5% | – |
| Housing units | 855±191 | 23,922 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±4.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±26.1 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.4%±11.3 pts | 83.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 27.3%±11.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8%±0.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.3%±3.2 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 18.1%±6.1 pts | 26.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.7%±3.6 pts | 4.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Dresden building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Dresden in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 1.7 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Dresden work and get to work?
83.9% of Dresden's workers drive alone and 6.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.1 minutes.
| Measure | Dresden | Lincoln County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.3%±6.2 pts | 56.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.2%±1.0 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9%±5.6 pts | 72.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.8%±3.8 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±3.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.6%±0.8 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.7%±3.7 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.1 min±4.6 | 23.3 min | +6.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Dresden?
No census tract lies mostly in Dresden; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9755Lincoln County | 6,354 | $80,000 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Dresden) · Census block assignment files
How does Dresden compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dresden is the 5,278th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 157th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Dresden ranks 156th of 349 places in Maine with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 157th | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 120th | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 263rd | 353 |
| Median household income | 156th | 349 |
| Per capita income | 172nd | 353 |
| Median home value | 205th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 90th | 301 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 168th | 352 |
| Median age | 43rd | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 90th | 353 |
| Work from home | 261st | 275 |
| Travel time to work | 45th | 352 |
Dresden's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Dresden with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Dresden?
20 of the 57 figures for Dresden on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Dresden are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.