Compare towns
Appleton vs Biddeford vs Dayton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Appleton | Biddeford | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
22,498Highest |
2,313 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
| Appleton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
| Dayton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,215±$867 7% above ME |
| Biddeford and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$3,872 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Dayton and Biddeford 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 | — | #111 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.