Compare towns
Dayton vs Ogunquit vs Bowdoin 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 most kids (20.4% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bowdoin has the most renters (15.3% rent).
Searsmont has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Bowdoin | Searsmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,313 |
1,379Lowest |
3,188Highest |
1,646 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
44.5±9.8 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.6 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
31.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Searsmont and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24k 52% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$87,000±$20kLowest 16% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Dayton 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$284,000±$31kLowest 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$867Highest 7% above ME |
— | — | $940±$311Lowest 17% below ME |
| Dayton and Searsmont 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$2,788Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.3%±10.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 71 |
| High school 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.