Compare towns
Augusta vs Bangor vs Ogunquit vs Westbrook
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 affordable homes ($201k median).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Westbrook has the youngest population (median age 37.4).
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 | Ogunquit | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
31,938Highest |
1,379Lowest |
20,775 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Westbrook 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
9%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Westbrook 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$85,038±$7k 14% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
— | $1,392±$74Highest 22% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$4,005 32% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.1%±7.4 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Bangor High School | — | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
13.3 |
— | 12.0Lowest |
| 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.