Compare towns
Durham vs Patten 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Patten has the most affordable homes ($128k 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.
| Measure | Durham | Patten | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,154Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten and Lewiston 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
20% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Patten and Durham 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 |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.