Compare towns
Dayton vs Gorham vs Searsmont
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).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Searsmont has the most affordable homes ($284k 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 | Gorham | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,313 |
18,300Highest |
1,646Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.5±9.8Highest about the ME average |
| Searsmont and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Dayton 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% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Searsmont and Gorham 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% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Searsmont 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 |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$87,000±$20kLowest 16% above ME |
| Dayton and Gorham 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 |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$284,000±$31kLowest 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867 7% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Gorham 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Searsmont 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1988Lowest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | — | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 4 photos → | 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.