Compare towns
Durham vs Lewiston vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Lewiston has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
38,324Highest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Durham and Lewiston 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% |
20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
$978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Lewiston and Waterville 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 |
$2,899 5% below ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Waterville 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% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Lewiston High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.