Compare towns
Sidney vs New Gloucester vs Hollis vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
New Gloucester has the highest household income ($109k).
Hollis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | Sidney | New Gloucester | Hollis | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,790 |
5,766Highest |
4,872 |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5 4% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
43.8±4.2Highest about the ME average |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.8%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Sidney and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Hollis and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
$108,797±$12kHighest 46% above ME |
$95,950±$24k 28% above ME |
$99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$357,100±$29kHighest 20% above ME |
$338,900±$27k 14% above ME |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
| New Gloucester and Hollis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
$1,372±$293Highest 20% above ME |
— |
| Hollis and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$2,625 14% below ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
48.9%±30.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Hollis and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Durham and Hollis 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #88 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.