What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Sanford
People
Population	24,602Highest	22,247Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME	42.1±2.8Highest 6% below ME
	Sanford 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%	19.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Auburn and Sanford 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%	20.8%±2.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Sanford 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%Highest ME: 36.2%	24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME	$72,524±$7kHighest about the ME average
	Sanford 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±$12kHighest 5% below ME	$280,200±$10kLowest 6% below ME
	Auburn and Sanford 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	$1,152±$72Highest about the ME average
	Sanford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,687Lowest 21% above ME	$3,708Highest 22% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4%	45.5%±7.9Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Auburn and Sanford 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%	10.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	71.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 12% below ME	28 minHighest 14% above ME
Work from home	11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9%	9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Auburn and Sanford 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	#100 of 133 in ME
School district	Auburn Public Schools	Sanford Public Schools
High school in town	Edward Little High School	Sanford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	17.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.