Compare towns
Augusta vs Presque Isle vs Sidney
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).
Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Presque Isle | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
8,736 |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
44.1±3.5Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Presque Isle and Sidney 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% |
18%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Augusta 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% |
22.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Presque Isle 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% |
26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$55,768±$6k 25% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$904±$54Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$2,401Lowest 21% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Presque Isle 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% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
57.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | Presque Isle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
13.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.