Compare towns
Augusta vs Barre vs Sidney vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the oldest housing (typical home built 1947).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
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 | Barre | Sidney | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
8,412 |
4,790Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Sidney 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 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Augusta and Barre 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 40% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$978±$72 31% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Barre 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. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$2,755 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterville and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterville 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #15 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 18 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
| 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.