Compare towns
Dayton vs Mapleton vs Strong 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%).
Mapleton has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Strong | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,313 |
1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Strong and Bowdoin 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Lowest 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%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Dayton and Mapleton 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Dayton and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867Highest 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
— |
| Dayton and Strong 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton and Strong 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% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong 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 | — | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.