What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dayton has the most affordable homes ($398k median).

Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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.

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

Measure	Dayton	Freeport
People
Population	2,313Lowest	8,802Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME	48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME
	Freeport and Dayton 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%	19.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Dayton and Freeport 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%	26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	59.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%	5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Dayton and Freeport 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	$107,326±$19kLowest 44% above ME
	Dayton and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$398,200±$34kLowest 34% above ME	$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME
	Freeport 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	$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME
	Freeport 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	$5,042Highest 66% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Freeport 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%	8.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.7%Highest ME: 74.3%	77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME	1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 26% above ME	24 minLowest 4% below ME
Work from home	16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Freeport 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	—	#4 of 133 in ME
School district	Dayton Public Schools	RSU 05
High school in town	None in town	Freeport High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.2
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.