Compare towns
Augusta vs Berwick vs Mapleton vs Manchester
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).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Manchester has the oldest population (median age 46.9).
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 | Mapleton | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,998 |
1,884Lowest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester 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 ME: 36.2% |
35.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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±$39k 9% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Mapleton 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 |
$323,300±$36kHighest 9% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$299,600±$40k about the ME average |
| Berwick and Manchester 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$993±$116 13% below ME |
| Berwick and Manchester 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,486 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
34 minHighest 37% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7 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 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.