Compare towns
Augusta vs Bowdoin vs Lisbon
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).
Bowdoin has the highest household income ($91k).
Lisbon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Bowdoin | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
3,188Lowest |
9,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
44.3±10Highest about the ME average |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Lisbon 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% |
30.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lisbon 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 |
$91,239±$13kHighest 22% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon 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 |
$292,800±$71kHighest about the ME average |
$258,300±$26k 13% below ME |
| Bowdoin and Lisbon 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 |
— | $979±$286Highest 14% below ME |
| Lisbon and Augusta 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 |
$3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$3,324 9% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Lisbon 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% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Lisbon and Augusta 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Lisbon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Lisbon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 15.8Lowest |
| 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.