Compare towns
Augusta vs Buxton vs Poland
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).
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Buxton | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
8,512 |
5,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+9.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Buxton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Augusta 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% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Buxton 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% |
30.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Buxton and Poland 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 |
$356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,198±$128 5% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland 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% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
81.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Poland 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.