Compare towns
Augusta vs Bennington vs Sidney
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 renters (46.2% rent).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Bennington | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
15,249 |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Sidney 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% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest 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%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Augusta 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. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Bennington 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. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | #58 of 70 in VT | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
14.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.