Lewiston–Auburn (L–A) are

twin cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in sta ...

Androscoggin County, Maine Androscoggin County ( French: ''Comté d'Androscoggin'') is a county in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 111,139. Its county seat is Auburn and its largest city is Lewiston. Androscoggin County compr ...

, USA. Together, they have a population of 61,182 in a combined . The cities are commonly called "Cities of the Androscoggin," as they are seated along the banks of the

Androscoggin River The Androscoggin River ( Abenaki: ''Aləssíkαntekʷ'') is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, ...

which separates them. They share infrastructure and transportation, such as the

Lewiston-Auburn CityLink The Lewiston-Auburn citylink is the primary provider of mass transportation in Androscoggin County, Maine Androscoggin County ( French: ''Comté d'Androscoggin'') is a county in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, the county's popul ...

, the Lewiston and Auburn Railroad Company and the Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport. They also form the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Androscoggin County. The Lewiston–Auburn Economic Growth Council has been promoting the cities as one community for decades in its campaign to promote growth in industry and business.

French-Canadian heritage

The twin cities have a long history of French-Canadian immigration, and still retain a very large percentage of citizens who identify as so. In the 2000 census, 19.4% of those five and older in the cities combined (more so on the Lewiston side of the river) said that they spoke French. LA Balloons 06

Auburn

Auburn was incorporated in 1842, and has a population of 24,061.

Lewiston

Lewiston was incorporated in 1863, and has a population of 37,121.

Merging cities

For years, the idea of consolidating the cities into one has floated around. Proponents have cited budget savings and the already existing sense of community and unity that exists. In May 2013, city councilors from both cities discussed the possibility of merging through a new voter-approved charter. With most in support, they agreed to discuss further in detail at a later point. In 2017, a vote on merging the two cities appeared on city ballots. The measure was rejected by a wide margin.

References

Lewiston, Maine Auburn, Maine Cities in Androscoggin County, Maine Cities in Maine {{Maine-geo-stub