Compare towns
Auburn vs Brewer 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Augusta has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Brewer | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
9,652Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% 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% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5kHighest 11% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Auburn and Brewer 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 |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Brewer 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Auburn 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% |
12.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 12% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Auburn 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Brewer High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.0 |
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.