Compare towns
Buxton vs Durham
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).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
| Buxton and Durham 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% |
19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Buxton 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham 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±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$99,181±$5kLowest 33% above ME |
| Buxton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
| Buxton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266 42% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Buxton and Durham 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% |
4.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.