Compare towns
Bangor vs Gray 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).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Lewiston has the youngest population (median age 37.3).
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 | Gray | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,938 |
8,429Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Gray and Bangor 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Gray 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Lowest 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Lewiston 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs 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 |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3 |
12.5Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.