Compare towns

Augusta vs Gray vs Hallowell

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 affordable homes ($201k median).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Hallowell has the most people working from home (19.8%).

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.

MeasureAugustaGrayHallowell
People
Population
19,077Highest
8,429
2,592Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+6.5%
ME: +2.6%
+7.9%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
42.5±2.4Lowest
5% below ME
43.4±4.5
3% below ME
50.3±7.9Highest
12% above ME
Hallowell and Gray 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%
19%±4Highest
ME: 18.1%
13.2%±5.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Gray and Augusta 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%
19.3%±4Lowest
ME: 22.4%
33.2%±7.1Highest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
28.9%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
44.8%
ME: 36.2%
52.5%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1Lowest
ME: 5.8%
5.4%±2.2
ME: 5.8%
6.4%±6.2Highest
ME: 5.8%
Hallowell and Gray 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
$95,236±$8kHighest
27% above ME
$68,398±$10k
8% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$201,000±$18kLowest
32% below ME
$363,700±$20kHighest
23% above ME
$295,300±$45k
about the ME average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$919±$79
19% below ME
$1,371±$89Highest
20% above ME
$890±$175Lowest
22% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,465Lowest
19% below ME
$3,683
21% above ME
$3,867Highest
27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
49.2%±8.3
ME: 48.4%
56.4%±24Highest
ME: 48.4%
37.1%±17.9Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Gray 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%
3.5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
7.8%
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
53.8%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
82.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
58.3%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1965
12 yrs older than ME
1983Highest
6 yrs newer than ME
1938Lowest
39 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
24% below ME
29 minHighest
16% above ME
14 minLowest
43% below ME
Work from home
15.1%±3.7
ME: 15.9%
12.3%±3.5Lowest
ME: 15.9%
19.8%±8.2Highest
ME: 15.9%
Hallowell 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 #10 of 133 in ME —
School district Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences RSU 02
High school in town Cony Gray-New Gloucester High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
17.9Highest
12.5Lowest
—
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.