Compare towns
Durham vs Standish 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%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Standish | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
10,662 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Durham and Standish 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest 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%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Lewiston 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% ME: 36.2% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Standish and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Standish 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±$34k 9% above ME |
$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Standish and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
| Lewiston and Standish 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 |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Standish 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.