Compare towns
Durham vs Penobscot vs Sidney
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).
Penobscot has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Penobscot | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
1,154Lowest |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Penobscot and Sidney 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% |
18%±6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Sidney 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 |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Penobscot 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 |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Durham 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Penobscot 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 |
| School district | RSU 05 | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.