Compare towns
Lisbon vs Eliot vs Bowdoin
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).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Bowdoin has the most homeowners (84.7%).
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 | Eliot | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
7,146 |
3,188Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Eliot and Bowdoin 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin 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 |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Eliot and Bowdoin 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 |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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.