Compare towns
Augusta vs Ogunquit vs Shapleigh 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 affordable homes ($201k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Shapleigh has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Shapleigh | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,379Lowest |
2,976 |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
46.9±10 5% above ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Shapleigh and Augusta 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% |
24.1%±4.8 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,140±$9k 18% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Shapleigh 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$356,000±$21k 20% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
— | $1,349±$133Highest 18% above ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,603 14% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±61.5 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | — | #76 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | None in town | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | — | 13.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.