Compare towns
Standish vs Lewiston vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Lewiston has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Standish | Lewiston | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662 |
38,324Highest |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8 10% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
44.1±6.5Highest about the ME average |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Steep Falls and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±1.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Lewiston and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.6% ME: 36.2% |
14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Standish and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$55,393±$4kLowest 26% below ME |
$80,280±$33k 7% above ME |
| Standish and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$235,100±$8kLowest 21% below ME |
$243,400±$31k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME |
| Steep Falls and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005 about the ME average |
$2,899Lowest 5% below ME |
$3,273Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Steep Falls and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% ME: 10.7% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
31 minHighest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4 ME: 15.9% |
4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Standish and Lewiston 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #132 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Lewiston High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.