Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs Washington vs Bangor
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Washington | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,884 |
1,624Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
48.2±6.7Highest 8% above ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Washington 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% |
14.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 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%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 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% ME: 36.2% |
17.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,861±$17k 20% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$195,200±$36k 34% below ME |
$219,600±$10kHighest 26% below ME |
| Bangor and Augusta 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 |
$1,036±$322 9% below ME |
$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
| Bangor 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 |
$2,286 25% below ME |
$3,076Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.3%±62.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Washington and Bangor 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
32 minHighest 30% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
14.6%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest 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 | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town | Bangor High School |
| 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.