Compare towns
Bangor vs Cushing vs Mapleton 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).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Lewiston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
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 | Bangor | Cushing | Mapleton | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938 |
1,460Lowest |
1,884 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Cushing and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Cushing and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing 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 |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | None in town | None in town | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Lowest |
— | — | 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.