Compare towns
Lisbon vs Bowdoinham vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Bowdoinham has the most expensive homes ($406k median).
Oakland has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
3,142Lowest |
6,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
40.2±6.9 10% below ME |
| Bowdoinham and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Lisbon 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% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bowdoinham and Oakland 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% |
24.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Oakland 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 |
$108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Highest 14% below ME |
— | $939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Lisbon and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Highest 9% above ME |
$2,958 about the ME average |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
27 minLowest 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham 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 | #73 of 133 in ME | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | None in town | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
— | 14.2Lowest |
| 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.