Compare towns
Durham vs Lisbon vs Wells
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%).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Lisbon | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
9,750 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Durham 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% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Wells 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 |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Durham and Wells 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 |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells 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 |
$3,324 9% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Lisbon and Wells 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% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
28 minLowest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Lisbon Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Lisbon High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.