Compare towns
Auburn vs Standish 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Standish | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
10,662Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest 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%±2 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta 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% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME |
$983±$453 14% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Auburn and Standish 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 |
$3,005 about the ME average |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.5Lowest |
17.9Highest |
| 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.