Compare towns
Dayton vs Saco vs Unity vs Buxton
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).
Saco has the most people working from home (19%).
Unity has the most affordable homes ($207k median).
Buxton has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,313 |
20,819Highest |
1,858Lowest |
8,512 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5 6% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
| Buxton and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Saco 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% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Buxton 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$24kHighest 52% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
| Dayton and Buxton 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 |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above 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±$385 10% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
| Buxton and Saco 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 |
$2,510Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Unity 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | — | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | Saco Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 4 photos → | 6 photos → | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.