Compare towns
Durham vs Windham vs Sidney vs Lisbon
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%).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k 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 | Windham | Sidney | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
19,188Highest |
4,790 |
9,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%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 |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% 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% |
22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Lisbon 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% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney 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% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Lisbon 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$77,819±$9kLowest 4% above 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 |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% 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 |
$979±$286Lowest 14% 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 |
$3,324 9% above 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% |
43.4%±14.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lisbon 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
74.8%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 |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 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 | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 14 | RSU 18 | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 15.8Highest |
| 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.