Compare towns
Auburn vs Berwick vs Mapleton vs Lewiston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the oldest housing (typical home built 1954).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Lewiston has the most renters (48.8% 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 | Auburn | Berwick | Mapleton | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602 |
8,175 |
1,884Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
40.7±2.9 9% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Mapleton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$369,100±$19kHighest 24% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
| Berwick and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Berwick and Lewiston 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 | #110 of 133 in ME | #101 of 133 in ME | — | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | None in town | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| 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.