Compare towns
Bangor vs Cornish vs Unity vs Lewiston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Unity has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Lewiston has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bangor | Cornish | Unity | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938 |
1,803Lowest |
1,858 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3Highest 8% below ME |
39±8.5 13% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
| Bangor and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$69,038±$4kHighest 8% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Cornish and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$274,200±$84kHighest 8% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Cornish and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,196±$148Highest 5% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
| Cornish and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | — | — | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
— | 12.4Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.