Compare towns
Auburn vs Brunswick 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).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Brunswick | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
17,652Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% 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% |
16.1%±2.5Lowest 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%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$70,722±$5kHighest 5% below ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Brunswick 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 |
$363,200±$18kHighest 22% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
23 minHighest 7% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Brunswick and Augusta 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | — | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | — | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 17.9Highest |
| 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.