Compare towns
Lisbon vs Durham vs Topsham
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 affordable homes ($258k median).
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Durham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
4,262Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham 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% |
19.7%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Topsham 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% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9kLowest 4% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Durham and Topsham 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 |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Durham 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 |
— | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham 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 |
$3,781 25% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Lisbon and Topsham 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.