Compare towns
Augusta vs Cushing vs Mapleton vs Bangor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Cushing | Mapleton | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,460Lowest |
1,884 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
48.8±7.7Highest 9% above ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Cushing and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Cushing 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 ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor 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% |
7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 13 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | — | 13.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.