Compare towns
Durham vs Cornish vs Sidney vs Winthrop
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).
Cornish has the youngest population (median age 39).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Cornish | Sidney | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,803Lowest |
4,790 |
6,191Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
39±8.5Lowest 13% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
43.6±5.3Highest about the ME average |
| Winthrop and Sidney 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% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Winthrop 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% |
17.4%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winthrop and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
40%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$69,038±$4kLowest 8% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$274,200±$84kLowest 8% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$294,800±$41k about the ME average |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,196±$148 5% above ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME |
| Sidney and Cornish 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 |
$2,309Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,506 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
48.8%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.8%±22.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winthrop and Cornish 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% |
6.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Durham 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 | #12 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | RSU 18 | Winthrop Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Winthrop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.