Compare towns
China vs Sidney vs Hollis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
China has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Hollis has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | China | Sidney | Hollis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,526Lowest |
4,790 |
4,872Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±5.9Lowest 9% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
43.8±4.2Highest about the ME average |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| China and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.9% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Hollis and China are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,309±$12kHighest 29% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$95,950±$24k 28% above ME |
| China and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,000±$37kLowest 19% below ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$338,900±$27kHighest 14% above ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,535 17% below ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,625Highest 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 10.6%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 21% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±4.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hollis and Sidney 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 | #27 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #88 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 18 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| 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.