Compare towns
Augusta vs Bangor vs Upton vs Hallowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Hallowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
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 | Upton | Hallowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
31,938Highest |
8,189 |
2,592Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
41±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
50.3±7.9Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Hallowell and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±6.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bangor and Hallowell 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 41% below U.S. |
$59,942±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$68,398±$10k 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$219,600±$10k 34% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$295,300±$45k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 35% below U.S. |
$1,055±$43Highest 25% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$890±$175Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Bangor and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$3,076 about the U.S. average |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,867 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.5%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±8.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Hallowell 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | Cony | Bangor High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
13.3 |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.