Compare towns
Lisbon vs Brewer 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).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
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 | Brewer | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
9,652 |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
| Durham and Brewer 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% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Brewer 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% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Durham 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 |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
— |
| Brewer 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
14.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.