Compare towns
Augusta vs Denmark vs Smithfield
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).
Denmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Smithfield has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Denmark | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,054 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
54.4±5 21% above ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Smithfield and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Denmark and Smithfield 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% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Denmark 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 |
$64,167±$10k 14% below ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$250,000±$68kHighest 16% below ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Denmark and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,409±$207Highest 24% above ME |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
| Denmark and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$2,259Lowest 26% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
90.6%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±6.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | — |
| High school in town | Cony | — | — |
| 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.