Compare towns
Augusta vs Patten 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 expensive homes ($201k median).
Patten has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Presque Isle has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Patten | Presque Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
607Lowest |
8,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
56.1±5.8Highest 25% above ME |
44.1±3.5 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.5%±4.8Lowest 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%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.9%±5.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3k 36% below ME |
$45,750±$19kLowest 39% below ME |
$55,768±$6kHighest 25% below ME |
| Presque Isle and Augusta 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 |
$147,200±$11k 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Highest 19% below ME |
$389±$99Lowest 66% below ME |
$904±$54 21% below ME |
| Augusta and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Highest 19% below ME |
$857Lowest 72% below ME |
$2,401 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
56%±58.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
28.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
57.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1955Lowest 22 yrs older than ME |
1971Highest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±24.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest 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 | — | #62 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | Presque Isle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.7Lowest |
| 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.