Compare towns
Lewiston vs Mapleton vs Durham vs Biddeford
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k 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 | Lewiston | Mapleton | Durham | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,884Lowest |
4,262 |
22,498 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Durham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Biddeford 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Durham and Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44 13% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,899 5% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,781 25% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Biddeford 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 | — | #14 of 133 in ME | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 05 | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | None in town | None in town | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 14.1Lowest |
| 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.