Compare towns
Augusta vs Lewiston vs Wayne vs Sidney
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).
Lewiston has the youngest population (median age 37.3).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Lewiston | Wayne | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
38,324Highest |
1,101Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
37.3±1.2Lowest 17% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
20.6%±1.5 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Lewiston 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% |
18.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
22.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
10.1%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lewiston and Wayne 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 |
$55,393±$4k 26% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Wayne and Sidney 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 |
$235,100±$8k 21% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Wayne and Sidney 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 |
$986±$44 13% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,899 5% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
51.7%±5.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lewiston and Augusta 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% |
20%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | #132 of 133 in ME | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Lewiston Public Schools · Acadia Academy | RSU 38 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | Lewiston High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
14.7Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.