Compare towns
Augusta vs Boothbay 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Manchester has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
3,102 |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay 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 |
$60,320±$17k 19% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester 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 |
$299,600±$40k about the ME average |
| Boothbay and Manchester 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 |
$1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
$993±$116 13% below ME |
| Boothbay 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 |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Manchester 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
20 minHighest 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Manchester 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 | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| 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.