Compare towns
Augusta vs Fairfield vs Proctor 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 renters (46.2% rent).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
Proctor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Fairfield | Proctor | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,938 |
1,794Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
42.3±2.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4 9% 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% |
25.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfield and Sidney 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% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Proctor 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$87,019±$22kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$74,167±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
| Fairfield 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. |
$320,600±$22k 4% below U.S. |
$209,900±$17k 37% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Sidney and Fairfield 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. |
$1,056±$441 25% below U.S. |
$1,029±$202 27% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Fairfield 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. |
$4,816Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Augusta and Proctor 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% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.