Compare towns
Auburn vs Lewiston vs Mapleton vs Westbrook
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).
Lewiston has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Lewiston | Mapleton | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602 |
38,324Highest |
1,884Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
37.4±1 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% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Auburn 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% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Lewiston 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% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Lewiston and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Mapleton and Westbrook 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 |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 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% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Lewiston High School | None in town | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
14.7Highest |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.