Compare towns
Lewiston vs Durham vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lewiston has the youngest population (median age 37.3).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 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 | Lewiston | Durham | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
4,262Lowest |
31,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Durham and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44Lowest 13% below ME |
— | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
| Bangor and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #132 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 05 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 13.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.