Compare towns
Augusta vs Orono vs Hallowell
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).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Hallowell has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Orono | Hallowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
11,902 |
2,592Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
50.3±7.9Highest 12% above ME |
| Hallowell and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.2%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Hallowell 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% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.4%±6.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$61,528±$5k 18% below ME |
$68,398±$10kHighest 8% below ME |
| Hallowell and Orono 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 |
$272,600±$40k 8% below ME |
$295,300±$45kHighest about the ME average |
| Hallowell and Orono 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 |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$890±$175Lowest 22% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$3,867 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Orono 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% |
24.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
58.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 24% below ME |
15 min 38% below ME |
14 minLowest 43% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hallowell 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 | #26 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 26 | RSU 02 |
| High school in town | Cony | Orono High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.