Compare towns
Palmyra vs Sidney vs Porter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($155k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Porter has the most people working from home (15.5%).
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 | Palmyra | Sidney | Porter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,209 |
4,790Highest |
1,746Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
40.9±7.9 9% below ME |
| Sidney and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.8%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Porter and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$60,417±$9kLowest 19% below ME |
| Sidney and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$226,100±$20k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$1,841 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±14.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.9%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Palmyra and Porter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1994 17 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.5%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Porter and Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 18 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.