Compare towns
Augusta vs Hallowell vs Mapleton vs Starks
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).
Hallowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
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 | Hallowell | Mapleton | Starks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,592 |
1,884 |
556Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
| Hallowell and Starks 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% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.3%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
52.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
21%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hallowell and Mapleton 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 |
$68,398±$10k 8% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hallowell 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 |
$295,300±$45kHighest about the ME average |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$890±$175 22% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
| Starks and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$3,867Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Starks 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% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
58.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
33 minHighest 33% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
3.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 02 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.