Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs Sidney vs Washington
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 highest household income ($92k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Washington has the oldest population (median age 48.2).
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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,884 |
4,790 |
1,624Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
| Washington and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±4Lowest 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%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Washington 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% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest 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% |
3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
| Mapleton 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±$18k 32% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$195,200±$36k 34% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
| Sidney and Washington 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 |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
$2,286 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Washington 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Washington 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 | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.