Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs Sidney vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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 the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,884Lowest |
4,790 |
3,087 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Mapleton 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 41% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
| 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 40% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 35% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 21% below U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$5,505Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Augusta and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 29% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 | — |
| High school in town | Cony | 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 |
U.S. 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.