Compare towns
Durham vs Wakefield vs Lisbon Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Lisbon Falls has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Wakefield | Lisbon Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
27,793Highest |
4,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
41.1±4.4Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Durham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Durham and Wakefield 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 23% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$72,344±$9kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 3% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$245,700±$25kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$971±$450Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 21% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$2,947Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.9%±18 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Lisbon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 05 | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.