Compare towns
Augusta vs Bangor vs Bath vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Augusta | Bangor | Bath | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
31,938Highest |
8,815 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Bath and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Bangor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath 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 | #119 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Cony | Bangor High School | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
13.3Lowest |
14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.