Compare towns
Durham vs Smithfield 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%).
Smithfield has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
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 | Smithfield | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
856Lowest |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest 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% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Smithfield and Durham 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 |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$358Highest about the ME average |
$986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Smithfield and Lewiston 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 |
$2,866Lowest 6% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Smithfield 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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.