Compare towns
Augusta vs Minot vs Sidney
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).
Minot has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Minot | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,794Lowest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
49±6.1Highest 9% above ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Minot 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% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
21.3%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Minot 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% |
25.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Minot 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 |
$95,655±$17kHighest 28% above ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Minot 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±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$294,900±$26k about the ME average |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Sidney and Minot 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 |
$878±$801Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,602Highest 14% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±40.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Minot 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% |
6.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
96%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1994 17 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Minot 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 | #78 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 16 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
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| 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.