Compare towns
Augusta vs Bangor vs Brooks vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Brooks | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
31,938Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
45.9±6.6Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Brooks 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%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.2 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%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest 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% |
6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$59,130±$10k 21% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$219,600±$10kHighest 26% below ME |
$196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Bangor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Brooks and Bangor 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 |
$3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,096 31% below 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% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Brooks 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 | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Cony | Bangor High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
13.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.