Compare towns
Augusta vs Ogunquit vs Bangor vs Waterville
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 kids (18.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Waterville has the youngest population (median age 35.5).
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 | Ogunquit | Bangor | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,379Lowest |
31,938Highest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Bangor 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
— | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | — | #37 of 133 in ME | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | — | Bangor High School | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.3 |
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.