Compare towns
Augusta vs Manchester vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Manchester has the most kids (19% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Manchester | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,424 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Manchester 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% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Augusta 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 |
$92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Manchester 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 |
$299,600±$40k about the ME average |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
| Wayne and Manchester 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 |
$993±$116Highest 13% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Manchester and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,486Highest 15% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Manchester 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 38 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.