Compare towns
Augusta vs Jefferson vs Mapleton
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Jefferson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Jefferson | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,647 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| Augusta and Mapleton 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% |
28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Jefferson and Mapleton 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% |
18.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Jefferson 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% |
27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Jefferson 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 |
$85,078±$17k 14% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton and Jefferson 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 |
$311,600±$35kHighest 5% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,120±$130Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Jefferson 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 |
$2,587Highest 15% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.8%±25.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Jefferson 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Mapleton 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 | #45 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Jefferson Public Schools | 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 |
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.