Compare towns
Bangor vs Mapleton 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
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Mapleton | Sidney | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938 |
1,884Lowest |
4,790 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Sidney 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Sidney 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1957 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | 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.