Compare towns
Auburn vs Biddeford 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).
Biddeford has the most expensive homes ($397k median).
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 | Biddeford | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
22,498 |
19,077Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
35±2.6Lowest 22% below ME |
42.5±2.4Highest 5% 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% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 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% |
17.1%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
11%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$72,333±$4kHighest 3% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Biddeford 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±$12k 5% below ME |
$396,600±$25kHighest 34% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,292±$100Highest 13% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$4,401Highest 45% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.2%±6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 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% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
53.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1952Lowest 25 yrs older than ME |
1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
24 minHighest 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Biddeford 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 | #111 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Biddeford Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Biddeford High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.1 |
17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.