Compare towns
Augusta vs Cherryfield vs Sidney
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Cherryfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
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 | Cherryfield | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
809Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
58.1±4.2Highest 30% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Augusta 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% |
32.4%±9.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Cherryfield 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% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Cherryfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3k 36% below ME |
$37,115±$17kLowest 50% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$195,800±$53kLowest 34% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$428±$107Lowest 62% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±17.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cherryfield and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% ME: 10.7% |
26.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.2%±10.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cherryfield 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 | Cherryfield Public Schools | 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 |
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.