Compare towns
Augusta vs Fall River vs Chelsea
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Chelsea has the most homeowners (88.6%).
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 | Fall River | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077 |
94,082Highest |
2,823Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Highest 9% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.2±3.6 8% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Fall River 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% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fall River 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 41% below U.S. |
$56,673±$3k 30% below U.S. |
$85,471±$10kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 40% below U.S. |
$395,500±$11kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$182,300±$37kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,373±$90Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 21% below U.S. |
$3,953Highest 27% above U.S. |
$2,313Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
15%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fall River and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | #262 of 282 in MA | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Cony | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
11.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.