Compare towns
Sanford vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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.
| Measure | Sanford | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 22,247Highest |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±2.8Lowest 6% below ME |
42.6±5.9Highest 5% below ME |
| Durham and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sanford and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Durham and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $72,524±$7kLowest about the ME average |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Durham and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,152±$72 about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,708Lowest 22% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±7.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sanford and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 14% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sanford Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Sanford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.