Compare towns
Lewiston vs Exeter vs Lisbon
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 most renters (48.8% rent).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Exeter | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,093Lowest |
9,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Lewiston 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% |
23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Exeter 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% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
| Exeter and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$258,300±$26kHighest 13% below ME |
| Lisbon and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44 13% below ME |
$995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
| Exeter and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,899 5% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,324Highest 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Lisbon 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% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Lewiston 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | — | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | — | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | — | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Lowest |
— | 15.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.