Compare towns
Lewiston vs Ogunquit vs Waterville vs Sanford
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 kids (20.6% under 18).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Ogunquit | Waterville | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,379Lowest |
17,077 |
22,247 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8% ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2 17% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Lewiston and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
24.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$72,524±$7k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Sanford 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44 13% below ME |
— | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,899 5% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,708 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 20% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #132 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | — | Waterville Public Schools | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | — | Waterville Senior High School | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | 12.8Lowest |
17.7Highest |
| 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.