Compare towns
Dayton vs Appleton vs Biddeford vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dayton has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Biddeford has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Dayton | Appleton | Biddeford | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,313 |
1,360Lowest |
22,498Highest |
4,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
| Lyman and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
$87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
| Dayton and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$396,600±$25k 34% above ME |
$360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
| Dayton and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867 7% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$1,063±$522Lowest 7% below ME |
| Biddeford and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,872 28% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.7%±44.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman and Dayton 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 | — | — | #111 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Biddeford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.