Compare towns
Lisbon vs Troy vs Unity 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).
Troy has the most people working from home (25.3%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Troy | Unity | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
984Lowest |
1,858 |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9 14% below ME |
49.3±13.6Highest 10% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Troy 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% |
20.7%±7 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Troy 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%±4.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4% ME: 36.2% |
21.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$44,583±$14kLowest 40% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
$213,000±$31k 28% below ME |
$206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286 14% below ME |
$1,255±$211Highest 10% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
— |
| Troy and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324 9% above ME |
$1,752Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
53.2%±44.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Troy and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
86.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
50 minHighest 102% above ME |
21 minLowest 14% below ME |
32 min 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Troy 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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.