Compare towns
Augusta vs Sidney vs Unity
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 the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
4,790 |
1,858Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
43±5.5Highest 4% below ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
| Sidney and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14%±3.6Lowest 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%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Augusta and Sidney 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% |
33.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$2,510Highest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Unity 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3% 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 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 14% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Unity 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Ecology Learning Ctr |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.