Compare towns
Augusta vs Palmyra vs Auburn
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%).
Palmyra has the most homeowners (82.6%).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Palmyra | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077 |
2,209Lowest |
24,602Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
37.1±4.8Lowest 17% below ME |
41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
| Augusta and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±2.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Palmyra and Auburn 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% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
27.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn and Palmyra 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 |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$66,647±$5kHighest 11% below ME |
| Auburn and Palmyra 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 |
$154,900±$34kLowest 48% below ME |
$282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME |
| Auburn and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$1,614Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,687Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn 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% |
9.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
22 minHighest 12% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Auburn 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 | — | #110 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | Auburn Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | — | Edward Little High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.