Compare towns
Durham vs Appleton vs Lewiston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Lewiston has the most renters (48.8% 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 | Durham | Appleton | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,360Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Appleton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Appleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 133 in ME | — | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Appleton Public Schools | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.