Compare towns
Lisbon vs Somerville vs Unity 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Somerville | Unity | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
837Lowest |
1,858 |
4,262 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
| Durham and Lisbon 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% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Somerville 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% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286 14% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324 9% above ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Unity 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% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 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 | — | — | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 12 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.