Compare towns
Biddeford vs Dayton vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Dayton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Biddeford | Dayton | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,498Highest |
2,313 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
42.1±5.5Highest 6% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Dayton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,333±$4kLowest 3% below ME |
$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Dayton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Dayton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,215±$867 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Biddeford and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$3,872 28% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 | Biddeford Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Biddeford High School | None in town | 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.