Compare towns
Augusta vs Bowdoin 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).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Bowdoin | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
3,188 |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester and Bowdoin 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%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and Manchester 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest 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% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Manchester 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±$13k 22% above ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Bowdoin 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±$71k about the ME average |
$299,600±$40kHighest about the ME average |
| Manchester and Bowdoin 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 |
— | $993±$116Highest 13% below ME |
| Manchester 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 |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest 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% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | 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 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.