Compare towns
Auburn vs Augusta vs Unity
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most expensive homes ($282k median).
Augusta has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Auburn | Augusta | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
19,077 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Augusta and Auburn 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% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
28.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5kHighest 11% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Auburn and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME |
$919±$79 19% below ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Auburn and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687Highest 21% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 12% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | #110 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Cony | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
17.9Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.