Compare towns
Augusta vs Hampton Beach vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most affordable homes ($201k median).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Sidney has the most homeowners (89.4%).
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 | Hampton Beach | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,605Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 41% below U.S. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$83,488±$10kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.