Compare towns
Auburn vs Poland vs Westbrook
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 renters (40.9% rent).
Poland has the most homeowners (81.9%).
Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Poland | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
5,954Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% ME: +2.6% |
+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
44.2±9.4Highest about the ME average |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Poland 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% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Auburn and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Westbrook 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±$5kLowest 11% below ME |
$85,557±$23kHighest 14% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Poland and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$383,300±$19kHighest 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
$1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
| Westbrook and Poland 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 |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$4,005Highest 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland 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% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Poland and Westbrook 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 | #81 of 133 in ME | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 16 | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Poland Regional H S | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.2 |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.