Compare towns
Augusta vs Berwick vs Bangor
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%).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Berwick | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,998Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
42.6±3.6Highest 5% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Berwick 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 ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick 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 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Bangor 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 ME: 36.2% |
35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$81,406±$39kHighest 9% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Berwick and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$323,300±$36kHighest 9% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
| Bangor and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
73%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.3Lowest |
| 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.