Compare towns
Alfred vs Danforth vs Bowdoin vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Bowdoin has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Alfred | Danforth | Bowdoin | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,125 |
452Lowest |
3,188 |
4,612Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
| Lyman and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lyman and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$360,400±$44kHighest 22% above ME |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432 9% below ME |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
— | $1,063±$522Highest 7% below ME |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543Highest 17% above ME |
— | $3,375 11% above ME |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #74 of 133 in ME | — | #28 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.