Compare towns
Dayton vs Buxton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k 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 | Buxton | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,313Lowest |
8,512Highest |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Buxton 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% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest 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% |
19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton 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% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dayton and Buxton 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 |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$91,239±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
| Dayton and Buxton 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 |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
| Dayton and Buxton 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 |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
— |
| Buxton and Dayton 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 |
$3,422 13% above ME |
$3,375Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | — | #104 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.