Compare towns
Augusta vs Boothbay vs Auburn
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%).
Boothbay has the oldest population (median age 56.8).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Boothbay | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077 |
3,102Lowest |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn 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% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Auburn 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 |
$60,320±$17k 19% below ME |
$66,647±$5kHighest 11% below ME |
| Auburn and Boothbay 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 |
$342,100±$43kHighest 15% above ME |
$282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
| Boothbay and Auburn 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 |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
22 minHighest 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Auburn 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 | — | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | — | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.