Compare towns
Dayton vs Strong 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Strong has the most affordable homes ($184k median).
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
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 | Strong | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,313 |
1,249Lowest |
8,512Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±5.5Lowest 6% below ME |
47.5±8.9Highest 6% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
| Strong and Buxton 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dayton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Strong and Buxton 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% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Dayton and Buxton 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 |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% 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±$34kHighest 34% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
| Dayton and Buxton 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 |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
| Buxton and Dayton 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 |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Dayton and Buxton 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | — | — | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dayton Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| 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 |
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.