Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Palmyra 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 expensive homes ($293k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Mapleton | Palmyra | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,884Lowest |
2,209 |
9,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Mapleton and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Lisbon 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$60,543±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
| Mapleton 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±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$733±$119 36% below ME |
$979±$286Highest 14% below ME |
| Lisbon and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,324 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin 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 | — | — | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | 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 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.