Compare towns
Buxton vs Gray vs Hermon 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 oldest population (median age 45.5).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Dayton has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Gray | Hermon | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
8,429 |
6,727 |
2,313Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
| Buxton and Gray 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%±4 ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hermon and Gray 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Dayton 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 |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
| Dayton and Gray 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 |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
$1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
| Buxton and Hermon 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,872Highest 28% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Dayton 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Dayton and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hermon Public Schools | Dayton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.