Compare towns
Augusta vs Berwick vs Franklin
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Berwick has the most expensive homes ($323k median).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,998 |
1,628Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
| Franklin and Berwick 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest 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%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin 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% ME: 36.2% |
35.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Franklin 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 36% below ME |
$81,406±$39kHighest 9% above ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Berwick and Franklin 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 |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Berwick and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,041±$901Highest 9% below ME |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$2,231Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Berwick 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% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73% ME: 74.3% |
76.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
29 min 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | — |
| High school in town | Cony | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.