Compare towns
Appleton vs Bowdoin 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).
Dayton has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Bowdoin | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
3,188Highest |
2,313 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
| Appleton and Bowdoin 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% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Bowdoin 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Dayton 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% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Dayton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
| Dayton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— | $1,215±$867Highest 7% above ME |
| Dayton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,872Highest 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest 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% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Dayton 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Dayton Public Schools |
| 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 |
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.