Compare towns
Augusta vs Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most kids (18.9% under 18).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Brookfield | Plainfield | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,486 |
1,314Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Augusta and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$53,580±$4k 34% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 40% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$978±$72 31% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$2,755 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Waterville 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 | — | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | — | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | — | 12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.