Compare towns
Hollis vs New Gloucester vs Bowdoin vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hollis has the most people working from home (15.9%).
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Hollis | New Gloucester | Bowdoin | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,872 |
5,766Highest |
3,188Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±4.2 about the ME average |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hollis and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,950±$24k 28% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $338,900±$27k 14% above ME |
$357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
— | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,625 14% below ME |
$3,417Highest 13% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±30.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Hollis and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1992 15 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 18% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.9%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Hollis and Sidney 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 | #88 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.