Compare towns
Augusta vs Knox vs Mapleton 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 people working from home (15.1%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Knox | Mapleton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
825Lowest |
1,884 |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41.4±2.7 8% 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%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Auburn 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% |
17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 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% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn 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 |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
| Mapleton and Auburn 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 |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,041±$74 9% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn 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 ME: 10.7% |
8.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
59.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
22 min 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Knox 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 | — | — | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | — | None in town | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | — | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.