Compare towns
Dayton vs Bowdoin vs Saco
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 highest household income ($114k).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
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 | Dayton | Bowdoin | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,313Lowest |
3,188 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
| Saco 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% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Saco 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% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco and Dayton 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 |
$91,239±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Dayton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,200±$34k 34% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
| Saco and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867Lowest 7% above ME |
— | $1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
| Saco 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 |
$3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco 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% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Saco 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Saco Public Schools |
| 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.