Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs Sidney vs Topsham
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 renters (46.2% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Topsham has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Sidney | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,884Lowest |
4,790 |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
44.7±4Highest about the ME average |
| Topsham and Sidney 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% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Topsham and Augusta 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Topsham 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Mapleton and Topsham 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 |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Sidney 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Topsham 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Topsham 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | — | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.