Compare towns

Durham vs Gray 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%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
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.

MeasureDurhamGrayLewiston
People
Population
4,262Lowest
8,429
38,324Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+6.5%
ME: +2.6%
+1.4%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
42.6±5.9
5% below ME
43.4±4.5Highest
3% below ME
37.3±1.2Lowest
17% below ME
Gray 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%
19%±4Lowest
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%
19.3%±4Highest
ME: 22.4%
18.3%±1.7
ME: 22.4%
Gray 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%
44.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
22.6%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.9%±3.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±2.2
ME: 5.8%
10.1%±1Highest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$99,181±$5kHighest
33% above ME
$95,236±$8k
27% above ME
$55,393±$4kLowest
26% below ME
Durham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$322,200±$34k
9% above ME
$363,700±$20kHighest
23% above ME
$235,100±$8kLowest
21% below ME
Gray and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,371±$89Highest
20% above ME
$986±$44Lowest
13% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,781Highest
25% above ME
$3,683
21% above ME
$2,899Lowest
5% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
25%±40.9Lowest
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±24Highest
ME: 48.4%
51.7%±5.9
ME: 48.4%
Gray and Lewiston 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%
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
20%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
82.4%
ME: 74.3%
51.2%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
1983
6 yrs newer than ME
1957Lowest
20 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
13% above ME
29 minHighest
16% above ME
21 minLowest
15% below ME
Work from home
20.9%±5.6Highest
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±2.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Durham and Gray 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 #10 of 133 in ME #132 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 05 RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy
High school in town None in town Gray-New Gloucester High School Lewiston High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.5Lowest
14.7Highest
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.