Compare towns
Buxton 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
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
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 | Buxton | Bowdoin | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
3,188 |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
| Buxton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Dayton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$91,239±$13kLowest 22% 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 | $356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$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 | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
— | $1,215±$867Lowest 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 | $3,422 13% above ME |
$3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,872Highest 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
31 minLowest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | 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 Our Story | 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.