Compare towns
Bath vs Buxton vs Dayton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Buxton has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
Dayton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Bath | Buxton | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
8,512 |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
| Buxton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
| Dayton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
| Dayton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,215±$867 7% above ME |
| Buxton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$3,872Highest 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Dayton 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — |
| 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.