Compare towns
Auburn vs Poland vs Durham
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 most renters (40.9% rent).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
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 | Poland | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
5,954 |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Poland and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Poland 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% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn and Durham 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 |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Durham and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Durham and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
— |
| Poland 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 |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Auburn 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% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Durham 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 16 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Poland Regional H S | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.