Compare towns
Auburn vs Manchester
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%).
Manchester has the most homeowners (85%).
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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester 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% |
19%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Manchester 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% |
22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester 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% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME |
$299,600±$40kHighest about the ME average |
| Manchester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Auburn and Manchester 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 |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 12% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Manchester 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 | — |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.