Compare towns

Durham vs Presque Isle

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%).
Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k median).

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.

MeasureDurhamPresque Isle
People
Population
4,262Lowest
8,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-9.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
42.6±5.9Lowest
5% below ME
44.1±3.5Highest
about the ME average
Presque Isle and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.7%±4.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
18%±3Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Durham and Presque Isle 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%
22.6%±3.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
Presque Isle and Durham 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%
26.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.9%±3.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
6.5%±1.4Highest
ME: 5.8%
Presque Isle and Durham 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
$55,768±$6kLowest
25% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$322,200±$34kHighest
9% above ME
$147,200±$11kLowest
50% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$904±$54
21% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,781Highest
25% above ME
$2,401Lowest
21% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
25%±40.9Lowest
ME: 48.4%
47.3%±9.7Highest
ME: 48.4%
Presque Isle 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%
15.5%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
57.8%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
9 yrs newer than ME
1971Lowest
6 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
13% above ME
14 minLowest
41% below ME
Work from home
20.9%±5.6Highest
ME: 15.9%
6.7%±3.4Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #14 of 133 in ME #62 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 05 RSU 79/MSAD 01
High school in town None in town Presque Isle High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.