Compare towns
Augusta vs Bath vs Presque Isle
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 renters (46.2% rent).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
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 | Bath | Presque Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
8,815 |
8,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
44.1±3.5 about the ME average |
| Bath and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Presque Isle 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% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Presque Isle and Bath 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 |
$69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME |
$55,768±$6k 25% below ME |
| Bath and Presque Isle 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 |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
$904±$54Lowest 21% below ME |
| Bath and Augusta 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 |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$2,401Lowest 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bath 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% |
12.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
57.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1971Highest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #62 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Cony | Morse High School | Presque Isle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
14.8 |
13.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.