Compare towns
Augusta vs Bangor vs Franklin 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 the most people working from home (15.1%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Franklin | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
31,938Highest |
1,628Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Franklin 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest 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% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin 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% ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%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% |
4.2%±2.6 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 |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Franklin 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 |
$245,800±$59kHighest 17% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Franklin and Bangor 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±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$3,076Highest about the ME average |
$2,231 27% 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% |
36.7%±27.8 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% 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 |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Franklin 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 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Cony | Bangor High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
13.3Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.