Compare towns
Lyman vs Buxton vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Buxton has the highest household income ($100k).
Alfred has the shortest commute (28 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 | Lyman | Buxton | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,612 |
8,512Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
44.9±5.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Alfred and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Buxton and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
| Buxton and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,400±$44kHighest 22% above ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$342,300±$38kLowest 15% above ME |
| Lyman and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$522 7% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Buxton and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
$3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±44.7 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 35% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #40 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| 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.