Compare towns
Dayton vs Appleton vs Bowdoin
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 people working from home (16.3%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,313 |
1,360Lowest |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Bowdoin 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%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 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+ | 14.3%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dayton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Dayton and Bowdoin 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 |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867Highest 7% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— |
| Dayton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,872Highest 28% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest 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% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.