Compare towns
Dayton vs Mapleton vs Saco 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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Searsmont has the most homeowners (90.6%).
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 | Mapleton | Saco | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,313 |
1,884 |
20,819Highest |
1,646Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Saco and Searsmont 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Searsmont and Saco 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Saco 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$87,000±$20kLowest 16% 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$284,000±$31k 4% below 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±$867 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$940±$311 17% below 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$2,788 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.4%±41.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Searsmont 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% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 3% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 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 | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Saco Public Schools | RSU 71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 4 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.