Compare towns
Augusta vs Orono vs Presque Isle
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Orono has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
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 | Presque Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
11,902 |
8,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
21.8±0.3Lowest 51% below ME |
44.1±3.5Highest about the ME average |
| Presque Isle 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% |
18%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Presque Isle 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% |
22.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Presque Isle and Augusta 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% |
66.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
56.1%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$61,528±$5kHighest 18% below ME |
$55,768±$6k 25% below ME |
| Orono and Presque Isle 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 |
$272,600±$40kHighest 8% below ME |
$147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,255±$112Highest 10% above ME |
$904±$54Lowest 21% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$4,830Highest 59% above ME |
$2,401Lowest 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
58.1%±10.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7Lowest 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% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
57.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 24% below ME |
15 min 38% below ME |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±3.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Orono 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 | #62 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 26 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Cony | Orono High School | Presque Isle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
13.7 |
| 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.