Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs Waterville vs Sidney
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 highest household income ($92k).
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Waterville | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,884Lowest |
17,077 |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
| Sidney 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%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest 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% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Sidney and Waterville 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 |
$2,755Highest 9% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Waterville 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 | — | #105 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waterville Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Waterville Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.