Places › Maine › Lewiston

Living in Lewiston, ME

Small city in Maine

Lewiston is a small city in Maine, home to about 38,000 people, with 210,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Lewiston a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 78°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 9 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Great outdoors: plenty of parks
  • Easy flying: PWM is 32 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 210,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Cloudier than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Lewiston ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
38,000
210,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
31°F / 78°F
Average daily highs · 65″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$304k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,050/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
95
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,982
State income tax per resident · 1.33% property tax
Safety
0.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
9 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
6
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 13 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
22%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PWM
32 mi away

Living in Lewiston: common questions

What is the cost of living in Lewiston?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $304k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,050 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 95, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Lewiston?

Maine collects about $1,982 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.33% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Lewiston safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.8× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Lewiston?

Public schools in Lewiston test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 13 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Lewiston?

Lewiston has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 31°F and summer days around 78°F, with roughly 65″ of snow a year.

Does Lewiston get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.24 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Lewiston?

The nearest major airport is PWM, about 32 mi away.

How Lewiston scores

Each bar compares Lewiston with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateLong, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceSlow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityPrivate AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingGood
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyBelow average
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetySafe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportExcellent

Places like Lewiston

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Pittsfield, MASmall city45 $311k$2,110/moModerate crime Green Bay, WISmall city49 $285k$1,550/moSafe Lake Placid, NYResort town47 $547k$1,460/moVery safe Sheboygan, WISmall city49 $260k$1,350/moSafe Rome, NYSmall city45 $212k$1,410/moVery safe Oshkosh, WISmall city52 $261k$1,540/moVery safe

Nearby

Portland, MESmall city · 29 mi away59 $563k$2,590/moSafe South Portland, MESmall city · 32 mi away59 $537k$2,590/moVery safe Rochester, NHSmall city · 68 mi away50 $440k$2,690/moSafe Dover, NHCollege town · 72 mi away58 $570k$2,690/moVery safe Portsmouth, NHSmall city · 77 mi away67 $910k$2,690/moVery safe Bangor, MESmall city · 85 mi away50 $282k$2,130/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Maine.

Is Lewiston right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.