Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs Bangor vs Hallowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Hallowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Bangor | Hallowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,884Lowest |
31,938Highest |
2,592 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
| Hallowell and Augusta 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
52.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Hallowell 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$68,398±$10k 8% below ME |
| Mapleton and Hallowell 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$295,300±$45kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$890±$175 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$3,867Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
58.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
17 min 33% below ME |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hallowell 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 | — | #37 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Bangor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.