What stands out worked out from the figures below

Augusta has the most expensive homes ($201k median).

Patten has the most people working from home (24.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Augusta	Patten
People
Population	19,077Highest	607Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.2% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME	56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME
Kids under 18	18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1%	16.5%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Augusta and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4%	32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	30.6%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	1.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Augusta and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$47,979±$3kHighest 36% below ME	$45,750±$19kLowest 39% below ME
	Augusta and Patten are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$201,000±$18kHighest 32% below ME	$83,000±$51kLowest 72% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$919±$79Highest 19% below ME	$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,465Highest 19% below ME	$857Lowest 72% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.2%±8.3Lowest ME: 48.4%	56%±58.6Highest ME: 48.4%
	Patten and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%	28.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	72.4%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Highest 12 yrs older than ME	1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 24% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	15.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9%
	Patten 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	—
High school in town	Cony	—
Students per teacherat that high school	17.9	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.