Compare towns
Augusta vs Readfield vs Wayne vs Waterville
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 kids (18.9% under 18).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
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 | Readfield | Wayne | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
2,651 |
1,101Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$53,580±$4k 28% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$978±$72 14% below ME |
| Readfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,755 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waterville 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% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 38 | RSU 38 | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Cony | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
11.5Lowest |
— | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.