Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Sidney vs Alfred
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 affordable homes ($293k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Alfred has the most renters (17.9% rent).
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 | Sidney | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
4,790Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
44.9±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Alfred 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Alfred and Sidney 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% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Bowdoin and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$342,300±$38kHighest 15% above ME |
| Alfred and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Sidney and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.