Compare towns
Augusta vs Sandgate vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Chelsea has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | Sandgate | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
435Lowest |
2,823 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.2±3.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 41% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
$85,471±$10kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kHighest 40% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$182,300±$37kLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Augusta and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
— | $1,373±$90Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 21% below U.S. |
$2,778Highest 11% below U.S. |
$2,313Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
15%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.