Lewiston-Auburn receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lewiston-Auburn
Salisbury
Opportunity
62 · Top 36%
vs63 · Top 34%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs49 · Bottom 49%
Climate
57 · Bottom 18%
vs76 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 9%
vs67 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
92 · Bottom 43%
vs91 · Bottom 39%
Access
45 · Bottom 9%
vs50 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
64 · Top 34%
vs53 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Lewiston-Auburn | Salisbury | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 113,423 | 129,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,873 | $73,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,085 | $36,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 242/sq mi | 187/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $252,800 | $241,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,010 | $1,274 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | 1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 27.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 374 | 231 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -24.9% | -16.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.8" | 47.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 83 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 36.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lewiston-Auburn
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, drought.
Salisbury
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lewiston-Auburn
66
Your Score
68
Area Score
Salisbury
64
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lewiston-Auburn, ME Metro Area · Salisbury, MD Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology