Compare towns
Durham vs Standish vs Steep Falls
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%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
Steep Falls has the most affordable homes ($243k 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.
| Measure | Durham | Standish | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
10,662Highest |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Durham and Standish 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% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above 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 |
$243,400±$31kLowest 18% 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 |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls 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 |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,273 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.