Compare towns
Lewiston vs Wayne 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,101Lowest |
31,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Lowest 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44 13% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 38 | 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 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.