Compare towns
Augusta vs Gray vs Windham vs Auburn
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 oldest population (median age 43.4).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Auburn has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
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 | Windham | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
8,429Lowest |
19,188 |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
41.4±2.7Lowest 8% 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%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn 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±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
| Windham and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,687 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Auburn 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
22 min 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.