What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the most people working from home (11.5%).

Arundel has the highest household income ($102k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Arundel
People
Population	24,602Highest	4,418Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+6%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41.4±2.7Highest 8% below ME	40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below ME
	Auburn and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1%	20.4%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Auburn and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4%	15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Auburn and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	29.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Auburn and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME	$101,597±$17kHighest 36% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME	$421,300±$62kHighest 42% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME	$1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME
	Arundel and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,687Lowest 21% above ME	$3,763Highest 24% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4%	34.2%±22.7Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Auburn and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	82.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 12% below ME	23 minHighest 7% below ME
Work from home	11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9%	7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Auburn and Arundel 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	#110 of 133 in ME	#7 of 133 in ME
School district	Auburn Public Schools	RSU 21
High school in town	Edward Little High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.