Compare towns
Augusta vs Calais vs Sidney
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 affordable homes ($201k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Calais | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,713Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais 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% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Augusta 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 41% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
| Calais and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Sidney 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. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
| Calais and Sidney 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. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Augusta and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | RSU 18 |
| 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 |
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.