Compare towns
Lisbon vs Appleton vs Bowdoin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Lisbon | Appleton | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
1,360Lowest |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Appleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
— |
| Appleton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 17% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8 |
— | — |
| 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.