Compare towns
Appleton vs Augusta vs Sidney vs Penobscot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Appleton | Augusta | Sidney | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360 |
19,077Highest |
4,790 |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
| Sidney and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Sidney and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Sidney and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,465 19% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #119 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 18 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.