Compare towns
Dayton vs Saco vs Brewer
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).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Saco | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,313Lowest |
20,819Highest |
9,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
44.9±1.5Highest about the ME average |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Saco 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% |
16.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer 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% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer 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 |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below 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 |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% 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 |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Saco 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.