Compare towns
Durham vs Gorham vs Sidney 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 most people working from home (20.9%).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
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 | Gorham | Sidney | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
18,300 |
4,790 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Gorham 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% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney 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% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Gorham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 18 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.