Compare towns
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
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 | Sidney | Presque Isle |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 4,790Lowest |
8,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
44.1±3.5Highest about the ME average |
| Presque Isle and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3Lowest 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+ | 18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Presque Isle and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$55,768±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $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 | $2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$2,401Lowest 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
57.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney and Presque Isle 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 | #62 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | None in town | Presque Isle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.7 |
| 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.