Compare towns
Augusta vs Chelsea vs Mapleton
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%).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Chelsea | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,823 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
42.2±3.6 6% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Augusta and Chelsea 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% |
23.3%±5.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Chelsea and Mapleton 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% |
22.6%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Chelsea 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% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 36% below ME |
$85,471±$10k 14% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kHighest 32% below ME |
$182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Augusta and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$2,313 24% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
36 minHighest 48% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Mapleton 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 | #93 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 12 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| 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 |
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.