Compare towns
Augusta vs Benton vs Windsor
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Benton has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Benton | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,770 |
2,690Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+2.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
42.8±6 4% below ME |
43.5±8Highest about the ME average |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±4.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Benton 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 |
$61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$63,178±$5kHighest 15% below ME |
| Windsor and Benton 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 |
$176,700±$23kLowest 40% below ME |
$228,800±$22kHighest 23% below ME |
| Windsor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,265±$400Highest 11% above ME |
| Windsor and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$2,160 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton 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% |
10% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
20 min 21% below ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Benton 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | #44 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
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| 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.