Compare towns
Durham vs Windham vs Sidney 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 the most people working from home (20.9%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Windham | Sidney | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
19,188 |
4,790 |
38,324Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
| Sidney 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% |
19.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Lewiston 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Lewiston 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
| Windham 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
| Windham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
| Sidney and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 14 | RSU 18 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | Lewiston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.