ZIP Code 04240

Lewiston is the second largest city in Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County. It is home to the only basilica in Maine, Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul; 5 colleges and universities; 44 listings on the National Register of Historic Places. The dominant language spoken in the city is English, but it is also home to a significant Somali population as well as the largest French-speaking population in the United States (by population) It is known for an overall low cost of living, substantial access to medical care, and a low violent-crime rate. The city's population was 37,121 at the 2020 United States Census, and is expected to rise to 38,000 by the 2050 U.S. Census. Lewiston was incorporated as Lewistown in 1795, and became associated with the liberal arts in 1864, the year before the college was chartered as Bates College. In 1855, local preacher Oren Burbank Cheney founded the Maine State Seminary, the first coeducational university in New England and one of the first universities to admit black students before the Emancipation Proclamation. In the 1850 Census, the city was fully 23% Irish born, and the population rose from 1,801 in 1840 to 21,701 in 1890. The area of Lewiston, Maine, was inhabited by the Androscogs, an Abenaki people, before European colonization in the 17th century. The Androscos were among the first Native American tribes to make contact with European colonists in Maine.

History

Lewiston was a small farming town throughout its early history. By the early-to-mid-19th century, Lewiston's location on the Androscoggin River would prove to make it a perfect location for emerging industry. During the Civil War, the high demand for textiles helped develop a strong industrial base in Lewiston. The city was once the wealthiest city in Maine, and created affluent districts such as the Main StreetFrye Street Historic District. Lewiston was the highest concentration of Irish, the highest in any settlement in Maine at the time of the Second World War. It is now home to the University of Maine at Lewiston, which was founded in 1854. The town is located on the banks of the Androgynous River, which runs through the center of the city. It was also the site of the Battle of Lewistown, in which the U.S. Army used the Lewiston Falls as a training ground for its troops in the American Civil War. The Lewiston Water Power Company created the first canal in the city in 1836. In 1852, textile and rail tycoon Benjamin Bates founded the Bates Manufacturing Company, leading to the construction of 5 mills starting with Bates Mill No. 1. The mill was Maine's largest employer for three decades. By 1854, one quarter of the population of Lewiston lived in shanty-town neighborhoods called "patches" The city is now the home of the University Of Maine at Augusta, which is the state's largest public university.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.54 square miles (92.05 km²) Lewiston is drained by the Androscoggin River, which forms its western border. The city is bordered by Auburn beyond the river, as well as the towns of Greene, Sabattus, and Lisbon. Summers are usually short, warm, and humid, while winters tend to be very cold, long, and snowy. Summer in Lewiston typically consists of pleasant temperatures, although high humidity can make the temperature feel more uncomfortable at times. Severe summertime storms, such as tornadoes and tropical cyclones are rare, but not unheard of. Lewiston averages 74 inches (190 cm) of snow annually, although this number varies greatly from winter to winter. Snow tends to be the dominant form of precipitation between late November and late March, although freezing rain, sleet, and rain can also occur in the winter when large low pressure systems track directly over or west of the city. It is between Portland, the state's largest city and cultural center, and the state capital of Augusta. It has a humid continental climate, with very significant temperature variation throughout the year. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Lewiston has a population of 2,715. The population of Lewiston in 2010 was 2,816. It had a population growth rate of 2.7% in the year ending July 1, 2011. The 2011 population estimate was 3,716.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, there were 36,592 people, 15,267 households, and 8,622 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 86.6% White, 8.7% Black, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, 2.0%. People of French-American descent were by far the most represented ethnic group in Lewiston. The city's median income was $36,743, and the median income for a family was $46,289. About 16% of families and 21.7%. of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.8% of those under age 18 and 17.7. of those age 65 or over. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was2.90. The median age in theCity was 37.4 years. The gender makeup ofThe city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female. The population density was 1,071.5 inhabitants per square mile (413.7/km²). There were 16,731 housing units at an average density of 489.9 per squaremile (189.2/km 2). The city has a population of 35,690 people, and as of the 2000 census there were 15,290 households. The town's population was 35,470 people, with 16,470 housing units. The per capita income for the city in 2000 was $20,014.

Economy

Central Maine Medical Center is the flagship hospital of Central Maine Medical Family. Walmart currently operates a 485,000-square-foot (45,100 m2) warehousing facility in Lewiston. The Sun Journal is a daily newspaper that is headquartered on Park Street. Sazerac Company, the owner of Boston Brands of Maine, purchased the White Rock bottling plant on Saratoga Street where they run a 24/7 production of the popular Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey. Lewiston is home to the Emerge Film Festival as well as Art Walks on the last Friday of each month during summer. The city's top employers are the top employers in the city, according to Lewiston's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's largest employer is the Bank of Maine. The town is located on the banks of the Penobscot River, which runs through the center of the city. It is also home to a number of historic Victorian mansions, some of which have been converted into doctors' offices. It also features several malls, including the Lewiston Promenade Mall and Lewiston Mall, and many chain restaurants, some car dealerships, and other private businesses. It has one of the highest murder rates in the state, with more than 20 murders per 100,000 residents in 2010. The state's largest economy is based in Portland, Maine, which has a population of more than 1.2 million. The largest city in Maine is Portland, with a population in excess of 1.3 million.

Arts and culture

Lewiston is home to the Lewiston Public Library and the Franco Center. Festival FrancoFun is held annually at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée and is a celebration of the city's Franco-American heritage. The Great Falls Balloon Festival is an event that is held one weekend in August every year. The Patrick Dempsey Challenge is a run/walk and cycling fundraiser for cancer research. The Liberty Festival is the name given to the fireworks event over the Great Falls in between the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn on July 4 each year. In its opening year the event raised over one million dollars. All the proceeds go to the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope at the Central Maine Medical Center. The Public Theatre puts on different plays throughout the year with about six to eight productions per season. It is downtown on Maple St. It features all types of plays, with actors from all over the world. People come from all around the country and Canada to see the festivities. The Festival includes launching of balloons, games, and carnival rides. The launch sites take place at several open parks on theLewiston-Auburn AndroscOGgin Riverfront. In June 2014 the Emerge Film Festival was first held in June 2014 in downtown Lewiston. In 2019 the festival was held at Rinck Advertising and theFranco Center. In July 2015 the festival will be held in Auburn at the Greatfalls Plaza. It will be the first time the festival has been held in the state of Maine.

Sports and recreation

The Androscoggin Bank Colisée is the home to the state Class A and Class B high school hockey championships each year. The Maine Nordiques are a junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's East Division. In 1965, the Ali vs. Liston heavyweight title rematch was held in Lewiston. The venue held less than 3,700 spectators, setting an all-time record for the lowest attendance for a heavyweight championship match. Between 1901 and 1919, Lewiston teams played home games at A.A. Park. Lewiston was home to minor league baseball from 1891 to 1930. The Lewiston Maineiacs were a major junior hockey team that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) The team was the only American team to play in the QMJHL in the United States until 2011. The city is known for its strong passion for the game of hockey, likely related to its French American heritage. The team is coached by Nolan Howe II, grandson of Gordie Howe and son of Mark Howe. The Portland Pirates played their first 12 home games in the 2013-14 American hockey League season at the Coliseee while the Cumberland County Civic Center is being renovated. In 1973, the Lewiston Nordiques were a professional hockey team. They were based at the Central Maine Youth Center. The Nordiques served as a farm club for the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association. Several Nordiques alumni have played for the National Hockey League, including Jaroslav Halák and Jonathan Bernier.

Education

Lewiston is home to a number of public schools and colleges. The city is also home to Bates College and the University of Southern Maine. Lewiston has a high school with 1,446 students, a middle school with 78, and a technical center with 912 students. There are also private schools for children as young as six-years-old. The town has a population of 9,446 people, according to the 2010 Census. The population of Lewiston in 2010 was 7,816. The City's population in 2000 was 6,813. The number of students in Lewiston was 707. The school population in 2010 is 7,715. The high school has 1,447 students. The middle school has 78 students. It has a technical college with 9,000 students. A community college has 9,500 students. In 2010, the city's population was 5,812. The community college had 1,400 students. This number is expected to rise to 6,000 by the end of the year. The college has a campus in Auburn, Maine. It is the largest community college in the state. The state's largest private school is Saint-Dominic Academy (PK-12) There are no private schools in the city, but there are several private day schools. There is a private day school for children aged six to 12 years old. The Discovery School is a PK-12 private school. It also has a private pre-school for children up to the age of 12.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine = 78.6. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 67. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 30. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Lewiston = 2.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 37,121 individuals with a median age of 39.4 age the population dropped by -1.79% in Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,087.13 residents per square mile of area (419.74/km²). There are average 2.06 people per household in the 15,819 households with an average household income of $35,224 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 8.50% of the available work force and has dropped -4.66% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 22.18%. The number of physicians in Lewiston per 100,000 population = 230.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Lewiston = 43.7 inches and the annual snowfall = 76.2 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 128. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 197. 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 11.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 55, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine which are owned by the occupant = 44.74%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 57 years with median home cost = $132,260 and home appreciation of -5.89%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $18.67 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,505 per student. There are 13.7 students for each teacher in the school, 392 students for each Librarian and 282 students for each Counselor. 5.22% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 8.61% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 3.98% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).