Compare towns
Lisbon vs Bowdoinham 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 renters (25.2% rent).
Bowdoinham has the most expensive homes ($406k median).
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 | Lisbon | Bowdoinham | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
3,142Lowest |
4,262 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Bowdoinham 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% |
17.5%±6.8Lowest 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% |
21.4%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bowdoinham 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% |
43.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest 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±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
$108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286 14% below ME |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324 9% above ME |
$2,958Lowest about the ME average |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
27 minLowest 10% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #73 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | 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 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.