Compare towns
Augusta vs Sidney vs Smithfield
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).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Smithfield has the most people working from home (22%).
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 | Sidney | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
4,790 |
856Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
55.8±3.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
10%±3.5Lowest 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Augusta and Smithfield 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 |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
$107,917±$27kHighest 44% above ME |
| Smithfield and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$242,800±$15k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,109±$358 about the ME average |
| Sidney and Smithfield 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,866Highest 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±45.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Smithfield 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% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
33 minHighest 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Smithfield 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 18 | — |
| 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 |
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.