Compare towns
Durham vs Poland 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 the most homeowners (95.4%).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Poland | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
5,954 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Poland and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Lewiston 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% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lewiston and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Durham and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Durham and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
$986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Poland 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% |
16.6% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 16 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | Poland Regional H S | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.