Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Dummer vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
Dummer has the oldest population (median age 53.6).
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Bowdoin | Dummer | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
299Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsham and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71k 12% below U.S. |
$242,200±$51kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$360,800±$20kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Topsham and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 8% above U.S. |
$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$4,259Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Topsham and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.