What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Lisbon
People
Population	24,602Highest	9,750Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41.4±2.7Highest 8% below ME	38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME
	Auburn and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 18.1%	22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Lisbon 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%	16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Auburn and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Auburn and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME	$77,819±$9kHighest 4% above ME
	Lisbon and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME	$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME
	Auburn and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME	$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME
	Auburn and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,687Highest 21% above ME	$3,324Lowest 9% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4%	43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Auburn and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	74.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 12% below ME	29 minHighest 17% above ME
Work from home	11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9%
	Lisbon and Auburn 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	#60 of 133 in ME
School district	Auburn Public Schools	Lisbon Public Schools
High school in town	Edward Little High School	Lisbon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	15.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.