What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dayton has the highest household income ($114k).

Brunswick has the shortest commute (23 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dayton	Brunswick
People
Population	2,313Lowest	22,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6%	+7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42.1±5.5Highest 6% below ME	40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME
	Dayton and Brunswick 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%	17.2%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Dayton and Brunswick 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%	22.9%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	53.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8%	13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME	$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$398,200±$34kHighest 34% above ME	$376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME
	Dayton and Brunswick 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	$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME
	Brunswick and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,872Lowest 28% above ME	$4,756Highest 57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick 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%	7.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.7%Highest ME: 74.3%	71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME	1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 26% above ME	23 minLowest 5% below ME
Work from home	16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.8%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Brunswick 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	—	#30 of 133 in ME
School district	Dayton Public Schools	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10
High school in town	None in town	Brunswick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.