Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Eliot vs Lisbon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Lisbon has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Bowdoin | Eliot | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188Lowest |
7,146 |
9,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
| Eliot and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
| Eliot and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Eliot 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.8 |
| 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.