Compare towns
Danforth vs Dyer Brook vs Merrill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Dyer Brook has the highest household income ($73k).
Merrill has the most kids (41.7% under 18).
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 | Danforth | Dyer Brook | Merrill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Highest |
275Lowest |
372 |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3Highest 16% above ME |
38.7±11.8 14% below ME |
33.2±9.9Lowest 26% below ME |
| Danforth and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.4%±11 ME: 18.1% |
41.7%±11Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Merrill and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.4%±8.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
14%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±6.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dyer Brook and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$73,409±$27kHighest about the ME average |
$65,536±$8k 12% below ME |
| Dyer Brook and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$135,000±$51kHighest 54% below ME |
$131,600±$21k 56% below ME |
| Dyer Brook and Merrill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22 45% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $1,606Highest 47% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50%±100 ME: 48.4% |
60%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Merrill and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 19% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±6.1 ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Merrill and Dyer Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.