Compare towns
Auburn vs Brooklin vs Bangor
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%).
Brooklin has the most people working from home (16.5%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Brooklin | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602 |
869Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
49.2±3.7Highest 10% above ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Brooklin and Bangor 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% |
41.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$68,750±$8kHighest 8% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Brooklin 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 |
$339,400±$90kHighest 14% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Brooklin and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687Highest 21% above ME |
$1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 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% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
26 minHighest 4% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Brooklin 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Brooklin Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | Bangor High School |
| 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.