Mount Laurel, N.J., and Lewiston host back-office operations for Commerce Bank and TD Banknorth, respectively. The acquisition of Commerce by TD Bank means the support complexes likely will be merged. How the two communities stack up:

Community profile

Category Mount Laurel Lewiston US average

Population 40,221 35,690

Per capita income $32,245 $17,905 $21,587

Median household $63,750 $29,191 $41,994

Highest educational attainment

High school 24.2% 37.9% 28.6%

Bachelor’s degree 28% 8.6% 15.5%

Master’s degree 14.1% 4% 8.9%

Median housing value $147,200 $85,800 $111,800

Violent crime rate, 2003, per 1,000 people 1 2.2 4.7

Source: 2000 Census and FBI

Cost of doing business

100 equals the U.S. average. (Based on the rankings below, overall, New Jersey is the 7th most expensive place to conduct business, while Maine ranks 19th.)

Index Wage cost Tax burden Electricity Industrial rent Office rent Cost of business

New Jersey 122.6 95.1 127.5 151 123 120

Maine 81.5 117.3 127.3 83.1 88.6 96

Source: Milken Institute