Compare towns
Augusta vs Gorham vs Manchester
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 most renters (46.2% rent).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Manchester has the oldest population (median age 46.9).
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 | Gorham | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
18,300 |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
46.9±4.6Highest 5% above ME |
| Manchester 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 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Manchester 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Manchester 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
| Gorham and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$299,600±$40k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$993±$116 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,486 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Gorham 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% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Cony | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
12.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.