Compare towns
Augusta vs Palmyra vs Unity
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 renters (46.2% rent).
Palmyra has the most kids (29.2% under 18).
Unity has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Unity is a college town. 30% 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 | Palmyra | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,209 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Highest 5% below ME |
37.1±4.8 17% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Augusta and Palmyra are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
29.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.7%±5.3 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Palmyra 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% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$60,543±$17k 19% below ME |
$62,857±$6kHighest 16% below ME |
| Unity 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 |
$206,900±$28kHighest 30% below ME |
| Unity and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Highest 19% below ME |
$733±$119Lowest 36% below ME |
$873±$73 23% below ME |
| Augusta and Unity 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 |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.2%±14.9 ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Palmyra 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% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
21 minHighest 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
7.5%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Cony | — | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.