Compare towns
Augusta vs Gray vs Mapleton vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
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 | Gray | Mapleton | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
8,429 |
1,884Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Gray and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Gray 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% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
| Gray and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.