Compare towns
Lewiston vs Wayne vs Durham
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).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,324Highest |
1,101Lowest |
4,262 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lewiston and Wayne 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±$26k 25% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Durham and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
| Wayne and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $986±$44Highest 13% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
— |
| Lewiston and Wayne 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Wayne 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Durham 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 |
| School district | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 38 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Lewiston High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.