Compare towns
Auburn vs Bath vs Gorham vs Augusta
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).
Bath has the oldest population (median age 45.4).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
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 | Bath | Gorham | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
8,815Lowest |
18,300 |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Bath and Augusta 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% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Gorham 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% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Augusta 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% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Bath 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% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Gorham 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Gorham Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Morse High School | Gorham High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
14.8 |
12.9Lowest |
17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.