Compare towns
Auburn vs Bangor vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Bangor | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602 |
31,938Highest |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6Highest 7% below ME |
| Mapleton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Auburn 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% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Auburn 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 |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Bangor and Auburn 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 |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Bangor 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% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Auburn and Mapleton 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Bangor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
13.3Highest |
— |
| 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.