Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs West Gardiner
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
West Gardiner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,884Lowest |
3,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43.5±2.8Highest about the ME average |
| West Gardiner and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5Lowest 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%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Mapleton 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% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner 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 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$96,172±$30kHighest 29% above ME |
| West Gardiner and Mapleton 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 |
$305,100±$42kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,282 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and West Gardiner 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 | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.