Compare towns
Augusta vs Perry vs Chelsea
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).
Perry has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
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 | Perry | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
744Lowest |
2,823 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
45.5±11.4Highest about the ME average |
42.2±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Perry and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.1%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Perry and Chelsea 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% |
21%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Chelsea 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% |
31.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Chelsea 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 |
$82,056±$4k 10% above ME |
$85,471±$10kHighest 14% above ME |
| Chelsea and Perry 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 |
$196,400±$13k 34% below ME |
$182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
| Augusta and Perry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
— | $1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$3,132Highest 3% above ME |
$2,313Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Perry 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% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
26 min 6% above ME |
36 minHighest 48% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
23.4%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Perry 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 | — | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Perry Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| 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.