Compare towns
Durham vs Patten vs Sidney 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 highest household income ($99k).
Patten has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Lisbon has the youngest population (median age 38.4).
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 | Sidney | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,154Lowest |
4,790 |
9,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-13.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
57.8±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Lisbon 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% |
38.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.1% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Lisbon 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 |
$51,484±$6kLowest 31% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$127,600±$49kLowest 57% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$979±$286 14% below ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$1,199Lowest 61% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,324 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
56%±64.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Patten 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% |
23.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.5% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
28.7%±19.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | RSU 18 | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 15.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.