Compare towns
Augusta vs Brewer vs Sanford
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%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077 |
9,652Lowest |
22,247Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
42.1±2.8 6% below ME |
| Augusta and Sanford 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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Sanford 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%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% ME: 36.2% |
35%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$72,524±$7kHighest about the ME average |
| Sanford 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±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$280,200±$10kHighest 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
| Sanford and Brewer 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 |
$3,708Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
12.5% ME: 10.7% |
10.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
59.7% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Sanford 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Brewer Public Schools | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Brewer High School | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
14.0Lowest |
17.7 |
| 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.