Compare towns
Auburn vs Wayne 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%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
1,101Lowest |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$5k 11% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
| Wayne 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±$12k 5% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Auburn and Wayne 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 |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Augusta 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% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%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 |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Augusta 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 | — | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 38 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 17.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.