Compare towns
Auburn vs Augusta vs Wayne vs Biddeford
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 kids (21.4% under 18).
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Biddeford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Wayne | Biddeford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
19,077 |
1,101Lowest |
22,498 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±2.2 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%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$72,333±$4k 3% below ME |
| Wayne and Biddeford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
| Biddeford and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6 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% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #111 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 38 | Biddeford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Cony | None in town | Biddeford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
17.9Highest |
— | 14.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.