Compare towns
Lisbon vs Appleton vs Durham
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
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 | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
1,360Lowest |
4,262 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Appleton and Durham 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% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Durham 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Lisbon 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 |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| 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 |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Lisbon 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 | — | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| 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.