Compare towns
Durham vs Lewiston vs Lisbon
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 homeowners (95.4%).
Lewiston has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Lisbon has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Lewiston | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
38,324Highest |
9,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
| Durham and Lisbon 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% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lewiston and Durham 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% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
| Lewiston and Lisbon 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 |
$2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
$3,324 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Lisbon 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% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Lisbon 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Lewiston High School | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Lowest |
15.8Highest |
| 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.