Compare towns
Auburn vs Sidney 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).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Lewiston has the most affordable homes ($235k 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 | Sidney | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602 |
4,790Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Sidney 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% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Sidney and Auburn 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 |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 18 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | 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 |
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.