Compare towns
Cherryfield vs Durham vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cherryfield has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Cherryfield | Durham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 809Lowest |
4,262 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,800±$53kLowest 34% below ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
— | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cherryfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 18.2%±10.4 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Cherryfield 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 | — | #14 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Cherryfield Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.