Compare towns
Paris vs Sidney vs Presque Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paris has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
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 | Paris | Sidney | Presque Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,317 |
4,790Lowest |
8,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±5.6Highest 8% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
44.1±3.5 about the ME average |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.6%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Presque Isle and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,137±$20k about the ME average |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$55,768±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
| Sidney and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$904±$54Lowest 21% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,649Highest 13% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,401Lowest 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
57.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 9% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.4%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Paris 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 | #114 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | #62 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Presque Isle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.7 |
| 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.