Compare towns

Lisbon vs New Gloucester 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 affordable homes ($258k median).
New Gloucester has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Durham has the most people working from home (20.9%).

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.

MeasureLisbonNew GloucesterDurham
People
Population
9,750Highest
5,766
4,262Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.8%
ME: +2.6%
+2.4%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+8.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
38.4±2.9Lowest
14% below ME
40.1±5.5
10% below ME
42.6±5.9Highest
5% below ME
Durham and New Gloucester 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%
24.2%±5.8Highest
ME: 18.1%
19.7%±4.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
New Gloucester and Lisbon 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%
15.4%±4.2Lowest
ME: 22.4%
16.6%±3.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
Durham and Lisbon 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%
30.7%
ME: 36.2%
34.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.3%±1.8
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2.1Lowest
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
$108,797±$12kHighest
46% above ME
$99,181±$5k
33% above ME
New Gloucester 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
$357,100±$29kHighest
20% above ME
$322,200±$34k
9% above ME
New Gloucester 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
$1,150±$249Highest
about the ME average
—
New Gloucester 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
$3,417
13% above ME
$3,781Highest
25% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
43.4%±14.2Highest
ME: 48.4%
24.7%±12Lowest
ME: 48.4%
25%±40.9
ME: 48.4%
Lisbon and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.3%Highest
ME: 10.7%
4.3%
ME: 10.7%
4.2%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
74.8%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
82.9%
ME: 74.3%
95.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973Lowest
4 yrs older than ME
1991Highest
14 yrs newer than ME
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
17% above ME
27 minLowest
9% above ME
28 min
13% above ME
Work from home
18.1%±9.6
ME: 15.9%
14.2%±6.5Lowest
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 #65 of 133 in ME #14 of 133 in ME
School district Lisbon Public Schools RSU 15/MSAD 15 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.