Compare towns
Augusta vs Brewer vs Ogunquit vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
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 | Brewer | Ogunquit | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
9,652 |
1,379Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
40.1±4.8 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer 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% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Brewer 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 |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
— | $978±$72 14% below ME |
| Brewer and Waterville 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% ME: 10.7% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Brewer Public Schools | — | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Brewer High School | — | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
14.0 |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.