Compare towns
Auburn vs Dedham 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%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Dedham | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602 |
1,656Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Auburn 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% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bangor 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% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Dedham and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Auburn and Bangor 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 | Dedham 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 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.