Compare towns
Auburn vs Lisbon vs Mapleton
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Lisbon | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
9,750 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% 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%±2.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 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% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn and Mapleton 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±$9k 4% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Lisbon 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±$26k 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% 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±$286 14% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% 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 |
$3,324 9% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Lisbon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
15.8Highest |
— |
| 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.